Tag: development plans

Developer Vivere reveals Extra Care Home Development Plans

EXTRA CARE DEVELOPER VIVERE UNVEILS PLANS TO BUILD c200 NEW HOMES IN EDINBURGH OVER NEXT 5 – 7 YEARS TO HELP MEET HOUSING DEMAND

Extra care developer-operator Vivere plans to build a portfolio of extra care communities in and around Edinburgh over the next 5-7 years, providing circa 200 new extra care homes with high-quality on-site amenities and care services. 

Starting the portfolio, Vivere has just acquired from St George’s School the 2.2 acre Lansdowne House site on Coltbridge Terrace in Edinburgh, and plans to transform this into the brand’s first community of high quality new extra care homes in the city. 

Vivere plan to invest some £25 million in the refurbishment and restoration of the listed buildings on the site and the construction of the new community.  

Subject to planning consent, the Lansdowne House scheme will provide a combination of refurbished heritage and newly built homes, alongside spectacular communal lounges and amenities created within the historic main Victorian villa on the site, originally built in 1875 as Coltbridge Hall and was previously owned by a number of notable Edinburgh residents over the years. 

It will be the first in a series of extra care projects that Vivere are planning for central Edinburgh. 

As part of their expansion plans Vivere are currently looking to acquire other sites in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. The business is looking to purchase sites that can provide between 50 to 80 homes, for either new build, converted properties, or a combination. The sites for review being in established residential addresses, ideally with proximity to local public transport and amenities.

Vivere was formed by a joint venture between Probitas, a specialist in extra care and senior living homes, and Stephenson Group, a leading contractor and mixed-use investor-developer founded in 1962 with offices in Scotland, England and Wales.

Vivere is led by Co-Founding Director Scott Curran, who was born in Edinburgh and is a qualified architect from the School of Art in Edinburgh. Scott has worked in Edinburgh for CDA, PJMP, Balfour Beatty, MACE, and Applecross.

Alongside Scott is Co-Founding Director Beatrix Lehnert, with both directors having over 30 years of expertise in residential, commercial, BtR and PBSA projects, with the past 13 years focused on the assisted living sector.

Vivere business partner and Co-founding Director Martin Stephenson is the Chairman of Stephenson Group which is a market leader in construction and property development with an annual turnover in excess of £100 million (Source: 2024/25 accounts).

To deliver the new communities in Edinburgh Vivere is working with award winning Scottish based architectural practices, planning consultants and landscape consultants.

For the Lansdowne House site in Edinburgh Vivere has appointed award winning Scottish architectural practice CDA Edinburgh, landscape architects Rankinfraser, and Edinburgh based planning and heritage consultants Montagu Evans to help prepare proposals for the new community. 

With its award winning professional team, the brand will focus on creating and delivering a portfolio of high-quality extra care living communities designed for where residents can enjoy their life and age in place, supported by appropriate on-site amenities and care services for a healthier life and wellbeing. 

This fully aligns with the Scottish Government’s ambition to both raise life expectancy in Scotland and the number of years that people can spend in good health, supported by both suitable properties to live in and the services to assist their needs.

Scott Curran, Co-Founding Director of Vivere says: “It is our aim to create a portfolio of high-quality extra care living communities in Scotland, commencing in Edinburgh. These will be high quality homes, alongside on-site amenities and tailored care services to suit resident’s needs.

“Our aim is for our residents to live longer, not grow old. The provision of extra care communities will help to relieve local pressures on NHS services, as well as providing homes to the hugely undersupplied housing sector in Scotland.”  

Martin Stephenson, Chairman of Stephenson Group and Co-founding director of Vivere said: “Scotland, like the rest of the UK, has an overwhelming demand to provide housing with care and services to a large and fast-growing older demographic, but with the key difference for Scotland currently being the huge lack of supply of these tailored homes and services within the housing sector.

“With its development plans Vivere aims to provide a quality product to the market and help to meet the demands in the sector.” 

Vivere Co-Founding Director Beatrix Lehnert added: “The forming of Vivere represents significant new long-term investment and job creation in the Edinburgh economy. 

“Alongside delivering best-in-class extra care schemes, our approach is to partner with Scottish businesses, suppliers and operators who are local leaders in their field to provide the care services and amenities for our new communities.

“This way Vivere will help to create new jobs and investment in Edinburgh alongside the construction jobs generated by the building of our new projects.”

For further information on Vivere visit: www.vivere-scotland.com

West Pilton Park: Update Plans and Drop-in sessions

Details of the West Pilton Park proposal updates

West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a significant amount of charitable funding.

The Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council would like to share with you the latest design proposals, to raise awareness of the development and build enthusiasm for the new park plan.

The aim is to make West Pilton Park the beautiful, bustling centre of a thriving neighbourhood community.

http://www.elgt.org.uk/projects/greenspace-improvements/wppdevelopment/

Dates for your diary

Join us at a community drop-in session at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre to see more detailed plans and ask questions:

Monday 5th February 2024 10:30 – 14:00

Tuesday 6th February 2024 14:30 – 18:00

For more information and to share your thoughts you can join us at a community drop-in session (as above) or send us an email to info@elgt.org.uk

Ocean Terminal to update local community on development of centre & waterfront

Ambassador Group, owner of Ocean Terminal, is showcasing new details of its vision to transform the centre and open up the waterfront ahead of a second public exhibition, held both online and in person with the design team at the centre tomorrow – Thursday 9th December.   

The public exhibition will continue to be available for visitors to drop in between 10th-31st December during centre opening hours, review the redevelopment plans and share their views.

Attendees will have the opportunity to understand how community feedback has been incorporated into the plans for the development of the centre and surrounding waterfront. In particular, the new layout and bold design will open up views, including new aspects on to Royal Yacht Britannia, providing waterfront seating areas and creating an unobstructed promenade along the water’s edge.  

The mixed-use offering, made possible by the demolition of the existing east-end carpark, will combine essential retail with tourism, leisure, workspace for small businesses and residential accommodation.  

The aim is to shape dynamic ways for the community and visitors alike to continue to enjoy the shopping, leisure and community amenities they currently value at Ocean Terminal, while also providing active public realm spaces as part of a visually dramatic destination.   

Sustainability is key to the development and has been placed at the heart of the design to ensure the project is in line with the City of Edinburgh Council’s net-zero targets for 2030.

This ties in strongly to connectivity, whereby creating an effective design for the new Ocean Terminal will meet the needs of the 20-minute neighbourhood.

Accessibility to buses, trams and cycle paths in the area will also strengthen the proposed physical access around the wider development, enhanced public realm and the waterfront. 

Chris Richardson, Managing Director at Ambassador Investments said, “We have said from the beginning we want to work closely with the local community and stakeholders, to make sure that together we create a sustainable and attractive waterfront experience for the people of Leith and Edinburgh, that introduces more interaction with the space than it’s ever experienced before.

“This is an exciting new chapter for Ocean Terminal as we embark upon significant change that will future proof its place on the waterfront. Through the diverse retail, tourism, leisure and wellbeing offering it will become the place to be.”