Do you live or work in or around Corstorphine and could spare an hour or two a week to help tackle loneliness in your area?
We’re looking for lovely locals to become a friendship volunteer to a local older person who’s feeling alone.
To find out more about how you can change someone’s life for the better and make a difference on your doorstep, send us a DM or visit, vintagevibes.org.uk.
Big News from St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Corstorphine!
St. Ninian’s Parish Church has been recognised in the House of Commons for their outstanding fundraising efforts benefiting St Columba’s Hospice Care.
Since the start of their annual coffee morning back in 2000, their incredible community has rallied together to raise over £50,000!
This year alone, their event raised an impressive £3,703.98!
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to everyone who contributed, volunteered, and supported this event.
Special recognition goes to Margaret and Jim for their tireless efforts in making this event such a success year after year. Your commitment is truly inspiring!
‘Topping Out’ Marked for Low Carbon Homes Development – On Track for Completion Next Year
View the video here:
A major landmark at one of the UK’s most sustainable new homes developments has been reached with the ‘Topping Out’ of Rowanbank Gardens in Corstorphine.
Structural building work on the final phase of Artisan Real Estate’s 126-apartment development – described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living’ – has now been completed. The low carbon homes hit the headlines earlier this year when it was revealed that the advanced technology used throughout the design of the building could result in energy bills costing up to 60% less than other new build apartments in the surrounding area*.
Rowanbank Gardens is now on track for completion in 2023 and will deliver 93 apartments for private sale, set around a large garden space filled with fruit trees and communal planting beds.
Construction work began in summer 2021, with the first move-ins expected in spring next year.
Welcoming the Topping Out of Rowanbank Gardens, David Westwater, Artisan’s Development Director for Scotland said: “We have now reached a significant milestone in the development process.
“The size, shape and scale of Rowanbank Gardens can now be realised, with its highest point encompassing a large ‘green’ turfed roof area next to two penthouse apartments commanding breath-taking views of the iconic Edinburgh skyline and beyond to the Pentland Hills.
“For the first time, we can see how the design and materials used in the construction process are contributing to Rowanbank Gardens’ superb sustainability credentials which, as well as offering a superb environment in which to live, can also provide significant financial benefit for potential homeowners feeling the pinch of soaring energy bills and the rising cost of living.”
Latest research on the fossil-fuel free homes shows that average annual hot water and heating costs for a two-bedroom apartment at the energy efficient development could be as low as £775 per year or less than £65 per month** – providing long-term cost savings for first-time budget-conscious buyers or downsizers looking for more energy efficient living.
It is one of the first large developments in Scotland to employ individual low-carbon Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) providing both heat and domestic hot water – moving away from large, complex fossil-fuel heat sources.
With additional insulation, larger windows and improved air circulation, the ASHP system allows internal heat to be recovered through the ventilation system, forming a closed energy loop with almost all useful heat being retained within the apartments, to provide heating and hot water.
Artisan has also championed the use of green roofs at Rowanbank Gardens, which are natural insulators being cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They also provide a natural drainage facility with rainwater evaporating in sunlight, providing the simplest form of a short-term carbon cycle and reducing the impact on the existing drainage system.
Artisan’s New Homes Sales Advisor, Izzy Bastiani, has welcomed a steady stream of new buyers to Rowanbank Gardens since its launch last year and sales remain buoyant with 18 of the first ‘Appleberry’ phase already sold.
A further five of the remaining 9 apartments in Appleberry are now available, with the remaining apartments being released shortly.
She says: “This is a fantastic development in a fantastic area. With the structure of the building now complete, it really brings to life what it will be like to live here. Visitors can see, at first hand, just how well-connected and vibrant Corstorphine is, with everything you need on your doorstep.
“Rowanbank Gardens has been designed to meet the needs of the modern buyer, making it ideal for the first-time buyer and downsizer market. At its heart is a sustainable design which reflects the demands of modern life, with buildings designed to minimise carbon footprint and maximise daylight.
“Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.”
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment at Rowanbank Gardens start at £245,000 with a two-bedroom at £315,000, making the development a perfect destination for first-time buyers and downsizers wanting to live in well-connected, bustling community just minutes from the city centre.
To register interest in Rowanbank Gardens and book an appointment at the new on-site sales and marketing suite, visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com or call 0131 516 3302.
* Compared to equivalent new build apartment at Canonmills Garden, completed 2022.
** Figure based on Building Regulation compliance energy consumption and measured against average electrical process from June 2022 of £0.278/kWh. Final performance subject to user operation preferences.
Local MSP joins guests in carol sing-a-long at award-winning Corstorphine restaurant
Corstorphine restaurant Prahna Indian Grill fully embraced the Christmas spirit today staging a lunchtime event for residents from the local community.
The eatery, which was named as Scotland’s leading establishment at last month’s Scottish Asian Restaurant Awards, welcomed more than 30 elderly residents from across the West of Edinburgh at a community event featuring great food, plenty of social interaction, and a Christmas sing-a-long.
The guests were treated to lunch before enjoying a festive concert from the Corstorphine Singers, where they were encouraged to take part in a group carol singing session.
The event was designed to bring Christmas cheer to people from the local community by getting them together for some festive fun and networking with others.
Prahna co-founder Arun Ramanan said: “Since opening our doors in 2020, just prior to the pandemic, we have been honoured to be part of this community.
“Today’s event is about bringing together residents across the West of Edinburgh and enabling them to get out and socialise and enjoy some festive cheer in the run-up to Christmas.”
Local MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, who came along to meet the guests at today’s event, said: “Since they began trading, Prahna has been an active member of the Corstorphine community.
“I thank them for hosting today’s lively event and providing a hub to bring together some of our elderly residents and help get us all into the festive spirit.”
Apartments’ Communal Areas Provide Fruit Trees, Vegetable Growing Beds and Even its Own Potting Shed
Plans for Bee Hives on Rooftops – Plus On-Site Chicken Coop
Almost 150 new trees, plus herb and vegetable growing beds and more than half a kilometre of evergreen hedgerows, are to be provided at Artisan Real Estate’s Rowanbank Gardens in Corstorphine, as the low carbon development continues to set new standards in environmentally sensitive living.
Already making headlines for its fossil fuel-free design credentials – with monthly energy bills estimated at less than £65 per month* – Rowanbank Gardens is now set to deliver a unique mix of garden spaces aimed at maximising the benefits of outdoor living. Described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living’, the development will deliver 93 high quality apartments for private sale, together with 33 affordable homes, set around a large communal garden.
The garden area will contain a mix of 30 fruit trees, including cherry and Cox’s Orange Pippin and Red Windsor apple trees. There will also be several large growing beds with space for strawberries, herbs and vegetables surrounded by woodland grass meadows – and even a dedicated potting shed complete with a planted ‘turfed’ roof.
Rowanbank Gardens has been designed to set new industry standards for sustainable, low-carbon development, challenging many of the norms associated with the building of traditional apartment buildings in city centre areas.
Its construction follows Artisan’s design framework geared to achieving low to zero carbon city living, which starts with ‘use less, first.’ From the start, external landscaping has been an important factor in the layout and design of the development.
“We wanted to create an external environment which was both in tune with nature and instrumental in bringing residents together,” explains David Westwater, Artisan’s Development Director for Scotland.
“One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic was that apartment dwellers, even in the city centre, need to have a strong connection both with the outdoors and with their neighbours. So, as well as providing private balcony and patio areas for the majority of apartments, we also decided to be more proactive with our communal green spaces, rather than simply providing the usual manicured square of grassed lawn and flower beds.
“Rowanbank Gardens’ residents will be able to grow their own herbs and vegetables together in raised growing beds as well as being able to harvest cherries and apples from almost 30 fruit trees. And the planting of 520 metres of evergreen Yew and Burkwood hedgerows surrounding the development will provide an attractive all-year-round border for those inside and out, whilst providing a natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.”
He added: “The turfed roofs of the main apartment buildings, bike and potting sheds will also attract plant, insect and bird life which are encouraged with natural inducements such as wild-flower planting.
We will be working with future residents and the local community to explore the potential of hosting bee hives on the apartment roofs as well as the possibility of managing an on-site chicken coop for the benefit of residents.”
Artisan’s significant investment in outdoor space, as well as its cost-effective energy efficient living is providing a popular draw especially amongst first-time buyers and downsizers. Since it launched late last year, sales at Rowanbank Gardens have been buoyant, with 13 of the first ‘Appleberry’ phase already sold.
A further four of the remaining 14 apartments in Appleberry are now available, with the remaining apartments being released shortly.
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £245,000 with a two-bedroom at £315,000, making the development a perfect destination for first-time buyers and downsizers wanting to live in well-connected, bustling community just minutes from the city centre.
To register interest In Rowanbank Gardens and book an appointment at the new on-site sales and marketing suite, visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com or call 0131 516 3302.
Artisan Real Estate’s wholesale commitment to sustainable residential development across the UK has been recognised with its Edinburgh-based Rowanbank Gardens development being nominated for a prestigious national accolade geared to tackling climate crisis.
Rowanbank Gardens, in the bustling Edinburgh suburb of Corstorphine, has been shortlisted for the best residential Climate Crisis Initiative for the 2022 RESI Awards, which recognises excellence in UK-wide residential property.
The award nomination reflects Artisan’s continued multi-million investment in fossil-fuel free regeneration-based residential projects in key regional city centres across the UK – with major developments currently taking place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Bristol.
Due for completion in 2023, Rowanbank Gardens provides immaculate environmental credentials creating a spectacular blueprint for low-carbon living. The industry-leading sustainable development, replacing a former care home on a brownfield site, is set to deliver 126 high quality apartments all with private gardens and balconies set around a shared courtyard garden in a well-connected central location.
Welcoming the RESI Climate Crisis Initiative award nomination, Clive Wilding, Artisan’s Group Development Director said: “I am absolutely delighted that Rowanbank Gardens has won national recognition for its bold ambition to tackle the very real challenges of climate change which are currently facing our industry.
“As a niche developer, Artisan Real Estate has always striven for improvement by creating a lower carbon footprint in the homes and buildings we create – not just in delivery but throughout their multi-generational lifespan.
“Rowanbank Gardens is the latest manifestation of Artisan’s stated commitment towards a radical improvement in its development cycle to create the lowest possible carbon footprint in the residential buildings that the company creates. With innovations such as green roofs, it brings together smart energy-efficient design geared to achieving low to zero carbon ratings whilst responding to the rapidly changing requirements of home buyers and the wider community post-Covid.”
He added: “The evolution of Rowanbank Gardens shows that, as well as reducing urban sprawl by optimising the number of people living in well-designed sustainable homes in well-connected locations served by public transport, we are also pioneering the application of innovative technology to eliminate the use of fossil fuels whilst vastly reducing energy consumption.”
Fuelled by a desire to transform brownfield city centre sites into sustainable, contemporary and low carbon homes developments, Artisan’s residential developments are creating a progressive residential blueprint which has a timely resonance for post-lockdown living across the UK.
As well as Rowanbank Gardens, this has also helped shaped the delivery of the 179-apartment Canonmills Garden development, overlooking the Water of Leith to the north of Edinburgh’s city centre which is now nearing completion.
The development has pioneered the integration of low and zero carbon generating technology, incorporating green roofs as well as a combined heat and power system helping to support building energy loads whilst charging electric vehicles, reducing both building and transport CO2 emissions.
Artisan is also delivering the Kirkstall Place development in Leeds, providing 263 family homes designed to meet low carbon and non-fossil fuel standards together with substantial amounts of external space, providing a wide range of biodiversity.
The winners of the 2022 RESI Awards will be revealed on Wednesday 11th May at a live ceremony in London.
Big News from St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Corstorphine! 
