Tag: housing development

D-Day for CALA Homes South Queensferry development plans

PLANS for a prime development on land made available from the completion of the Queensferry Crossing will be determined today (Wednesday 19 May).

Recommended for approval by planners, the 176-home South Queensferry development by CALA Homes (East) includes 44 affordable homes, 39 of which will be delivered by locally-based Manor Estates Housing Association.

The remaining five will be ‘golden share, a form of discounted price available to purchase by those on the housing waiting list’. Most of the affordable homes will be constructed early into the build process.

Approval of the Springfield site at the upcoming City of Edinburgh development management sub-committee will confirm more than £2.2million in Section 75 funding. This includes £2.15m towards education, £29,500 to improving transport infrastructure and around £37,000 towards the expansion of the local healthcare centre.

Following extensive engagement with the local community, the plans also include a range of traffic calming measures at the adjoining Bo’ness Road, as well as improved crossings, footpath connections to Society Road and Bo’ness road and a dedicated cycleway.

Keith Giblett, Chair of Queensferry and District Community Council, said: “We’ve welcomed the extent to which CALA has been willing to listen to the community. Pleasingly, it has resulted in material changes to the proposed development and the area around it, including vital works to Bo’ness road in the vicinity of the primary school.

“Go-ahead will provide a major and timely contribution towards facilities in and around South Queensferry – and we’d look forward to getting an understanding from the council on how that money will be spent.”

The development will benefit from exceptional views out to the Forth and its bridges and a broad mix of homes put forward by CALA includes 57 apartments, alongside three, four and five bedroom properties, boosting supply for a wide segment of the market.

The 44 affordable homes will feature a mix of one to three bedroom homes. CALA hopes to be able to begin work at the development as early as autumn 2021.

Derek Lawson, Strategic Land Director at CALA Homes, said: “This development has been years in the making and we must thank the local community for engaging throughout. In particular, the area around the development will be much more pedestrian and cyclist friendly – with extensive footpath connectivity.

“This process has resulted in final proposals that will boost the local area considerably, as well as providing a wide range of family homes to meet the needs of a strong local market.”

Originally identified for housing almost 30 years ago, the site, which extends to 7.5 hectares, forms part of a wider area of land originally owned by CALA, following the grant of residential planning permission dating back to 1991.

The land was then acquired by the Scottish Office in 1994 for the new forth crossing – Queensferry Crossing. With the bridge now complete, the Scottish Ministers have been in the process of disposing of surplus land. The regulations relating to disposal require that surplus land is initially offered to previous landowners, which in this case is CALA Homes.

CALA has a strong history working in the South Queensferry area, recently completing its development at nearby Dalmeny Park, where it delivered 156 private homes on a brownfield site formerly owned by Agilent. This also included the delivery of 112 affordable homes.

Application submitted for 1800 home Livingston development

‘Exciting proposals’ have been put submitted to West Lothian Council for the delivery of an ambitious £275 million residential-led mixed-use development and relocation of existing farm space to new state of the art facilities.

“Drumshoreland Garden Community”, situated at the current Clapperton poultry farm complex, located east of Livingston, will comprise a vibrant sustainable development of 108 hectares.

This will include open market and affordable housing, employment, educational and other community facilities, delivering hundreds of jobs both in construction and in the completed development. Located within a substantial new parkland setting this includes 19.9 hectares of ancient woodland being given over to public access.

Two applications for planning permission in principle (PPiP) have been submitted to West Lothian Council, aiming to establish the principle of development on the site.  A PPiP application has been submitted covering the wider site and the other PPiP will cover an area of land located within the wider site.

The Clapperton site, owned by Amber REI (Agriculture) Ltd, part of Amber REI (Holdings) Ltd, is a key component of the Scottish poultry supply chain but currently comprises ageing poultry sheds and surplus land.

The value realised from the Drumshoreland development could underpin a more than £150 million package of investment back into the Scottish food and agriculture sector, through the company’s poultry supply chain operations.

Current facilities at the Clapperton site will be relocated elsewhere in West Lothian, delivering state-of-the-art operations.

Around 1,800 homes, including 25 per cent affordable homes (c. 450) are proposed as part of Drumshoreland Garden Community and will be brought forward by Elan Homes (Scotland) Ltd, a sister company of Amber REI.

The low carbon community will also serve to address a significant historic housing land supply problem in West Lothian.

Original housing numbers have reduced to accommodate the need for more mixed-use elements which were raised during initial consultation with key local groups.

A wide range of house types, sizes and tenures will be provided, including affordable housing, with the aim of providing a genuine range and choice, establishing a mixed, diverse community from the outset.

Positive initial discussions have already been held with a registered social landlord, Almond Housing Association, with respect to the early planning and ultimate delivery of affordable housing, as well as with Veterans Housing Scotland for some veteran housing on the site.

The development will also seek to embrace the philosophy of “a 20-minute neighbourhood” as promoted by the Scottish Government, where people can meet most of their essential needs within a 20-minute walk. It also means having easy access to greenspace and a local environment that encourages active travel to promote health and wellbeing.

A combination of the Drumshoreland development and other investment across Scotland in the agriculture, food and tourism sectors could see the potential for £425 million (£275 million for Drumshoreland and £150 million across the rest of Scotland) being invested, supporting 5,750 jobs and delivering new state of the art low carbon facilities.

The initial plan is to improve, replace and expand elements of the Scottish poultry supply chain, strengthening this vital and significant rural employer.

This would include:

  • Investment in new processing facilities at Coupar Angus
  • Upgrading of feed mill and provision of new hotel at Edinburgh Airport.
  • A new animal feed mill located in the Central Belt.
  • New sustainable farming space across West Lothian.

These new state-of-the-art low carbon facilities will create jobs both directly and indirectly through the supply chain. The delivery of these improved facilities will also serve to assist in improving standards in the sector while making a major contribution to the Scottish Government’s target of a net-zero society in terms of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Commenting on the proposals, a spokesperson from Amber REI (Agriculture) said: “We are delighted to be submitting these planning applications to West Lothian Council which follows significant pre-application consultations with the local community and other stakeholders. This could deliver significant investment not only in West Lothian but across Scotland as a whole.

“As an exemplar low carbon community Drumshoreland will not only deliver much-needed housing, including affordable housing, but employment, education and community facilities in a unique parkland setting.

“It would also deliver significant post-COVID investment amounting to more than £150 million into the poultry processing supply chain across Scotland, creating jobs, both directly and indirectly, as well as delivering a low carbon future for the agriculture sector.”

Planning and development consultancy Turley is providing planning, strategic communications, economics, heritage & townscape and sustainability services for the scheme.  Masterplanning and placemaking services are being led by OPEN (Optimised Environments) including integrated architecture and landscape disciplines.

Green light for Gorgie Road development

A planning application by Edinburgh-based Kiltane Developments Ltd for a mixed-use development at Gorgie Road has been granted (subject to conditions) by City of Edinburgh Council Development Management Sub-Committee yesterday. 

Kiltane Developments is looking to build a development of 28 flats (eight of which will be affordable housing), 140 student flats and 77 student studios. Three commercial units are also proposed to be made available for retail, financial and professional services use.

There is a requirement in the area is for up to two-bed flats and 26 of the 28 units fall into this category.

The need for two-bedroom affordable accommodation in this area has been confirmed by the Council’s Housing Team. The residential mix includes 29 per cent affordable homes delivered on site and serving the social rented sector. This exceeds the policy requirement of 25 per cent.

The site is highly sustainable, within cycling distance of the city centre and is also on a number of major bus routes.

There will be 264 cycle parking spaces and car parking will be provided in the existing underground storage area. The proposed car parking represents just 30 per cent (33 parking spaces) of the maximum car parking allowed by parking standards (108 spaces).

The proposal seeks to extend the public amenity between the building edge and the Water of Leith Walkway to provide a shared space, adjacent to the proposed commercial unit serving local residents and users of the Water of Leith Walkway.

This will provide an attractive frontage on the Water of Leith and significantly enhance the public realm, including upgrades to the public footpath.

The site is in an accessible location and close to university facilities. Provision of purpose-built student accommodation will support the growth and development of the higher education sector in Edinburgh. In doing so it will increase the range and choice of accommodation offered to students.

The current ratio of approximately three students per one bed space in Edinburgh, demonstrates the demand for new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).

A spokesperson for Kiltane Developments, said: “I’m delighted with the decision taken today by councillors. As an Edinburgh-based company, we are thrilled to see this exciting project given the green light and look forward to bringing this mixed-use site forward.

“The delivery of housing, including much-needed affordable housing, student accommodation and commercial units will assist in preserving the viability of the nearby local centre. We are also providing an attractive frontage on the Water of Leith and significantly enhancing the public realm, including upgrades to the public footpath.

“We look forward to getting these proposals underway and will continue to work with council officials and the local community to deliver them.”