housing – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Shocking new analysis reveals the scale of Edinburgh’s Short Term Let legal loopholes

Shocking new analysis carried out by Living Rent and Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council on data obtained by Edinburgh Green Councillor Chas Booth reveals that only three in ten licensed Short Term Lets in the capital have planning permission.

Meanwhile a quarter have withdrawn a planning application and just under a quarter have not even applied for planning consent at all.

The analysis covers secondary lets only – in other words letting an entire property that is not someone’s home, and does not include people letting out a room in their own home. The research was released more than four years after the introduction of Edinburgh’s Short Term Let control area, in September 2022, which declared that a Short Term Let in the city was “a material change of use requiring planning permission”.

The analysis was based on comparing the publicly available register of short term let licences with data on every short term let planning application made in the city since 2018, obtained by Cllr Chas Booth.

This analysis shows that:

1,225 (69.84%) of Edinburgh’s 1,754 licensed Short Term Lets do not have planning permission (secondary letting)

465 (26.51%) licensed Short Term Lets have applied for planning permission and then withdrawn the application before it was determined (secondary letting)

425 (24.23%) licensed Short Term Lets have never applied for planning permission (secondary letting)

Commenting on the analysis, Cllr Chas Booth, who obtained the data, said: “Edinburgh’s short term let control area was meant to ensure every STL in the city had planning permission. Yet four years on from its introduction, it clearly isn’t working. Residents living next to unregulated lets have to put up with the disruption that brings, and every STL is one fewer home in a city with a housing emergency.”

“This analysis shows two things. First, the Council isn’t doing enough to enforce the planning and licensing system, and that must improve. But more importantly, it shows the Scottish Government’s legislation is not fit for purpose. There is a loophole as big as a barn door that hundreds of STL owners are exploiting, and residents are paying the price.

“Ministers need to wake up and smell the coffee and act urgently to close it.”

Booth added: “I’m very grateful to Living Rent and Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council for carrying out this detailed analysis. If community volunteers can establish the scale of the problem, the Scottish Government has no excuse for not acknowledging it and fixing it.”

Jon ‘Geo’ Camp from Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council, who undertook the analysis, said: “Our community council has heard from many residents concerned about short term lets, and this analysis shows why.

“A significant number of licensed lets have no planning permission, and many of them applied for it and then withdrew before a decision was made.

“Residents need to know the system that regulates these lets is working properly, and too often they don’t believe that it is.

“We will keep listening to our community, and keep working with councillors and MSPs to make sure these issues are heard and resolved.”

First Minister digs in on Granton’s Waterfront

‘WE’LL TRANSFORM THIS FORMAL INDUSTRIAL SITE INTO A NEW COASTAL TOWN AND COMMUNITY’ – COUNCIL LEADER JANE MEAGHER

First Minister John Swinney has marked the start of construction on one of Scotland’s largest net zero housing developments as part of the latest chapter of Granton Waterfront regeneration,

The development will provide 847 net zero homes, including 387 affordable homes, 14 commercial units and a new primary school on former industrial land.

It is part of a wider £1.3 billion transformation of Edinburgh’s waterfront that will create 3,500 homes, new leisure facilities and Scotland’s largest coastal park.

The First Minister joined local school pupils at the site, including young people who have benefited from construction courses supported through Scottish Government investment in Granton’s regeneration.

John Swinney said: “This is one of the largest regeneration projects Scotland has seen in decades and a major vote of confidence in Edinburgh’s future.

“For years, people have looked across this waterfront and seen disused industrial land. Today, we are laying the foundations for a new community that will be home to thousands of people.

“Through our investment, hundreds of families will have affordable, energy-efficient homes as we transform Edinburgh’s waterfront into a thriving neighbourhood with new homes, schools and businesses.

“We are putting the people of Granton at the heart of this transformation, with better transport links, new green spaces, apprenticeships, skills training and investment in local organisations.”

Jane Meagher, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a big step forward for Granton and the whole city, as construction begins on the first phase of one of the largest public sector led regeneration projects of its time.

“Through our joint efforts we’ll transform this former industrial site into a new coastal town and community. It’s important that those living in neighbouring communities benefit from the investment we’re making in the area.

“Our Place Accelerator approach will ensure residents see the benefits, including more green spaces to enjoy and opportunities for local young people to gain hands on construction skills and qualifications through work on site.”

Audrey Cumberford, Principal of Edinburgh College, which works with Cruden Homes to deliver Granton Waterfront Construction Pathway courses for school and college pupils, said: “Edinburgh College has been at the heart of the Granton community for many years and we’re delighted to be involved in the next stage of its regeneration.

“Not only will this project provide hundreds of new homes in the area, this is already providing hundreds of opportunities for students to get hands-on experience in the construction industry.

“These opportunities could be transformative for our learners – allowing them to gain vital skills and develop a career in the sector.”

More information about Granton Waterfront’s regeneration

New affordable homes completed in Wester Hailes

LATEST PHASE OF REGENERATION PROGRAMME COMPLETED

73 brand new affordable homes are now complete at Murrayburn Gate and ready to hand over to new residents

Delivered in partnership with CCG Scotland Ltd these modern, energy-efficient homes have renewable heating, solar panels and landscaped communal spaces.

New residents are expected to move in over the next 2 – 3 weeks.

Find out more about the homes:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/murrayburn-gate…

Safer homes for tenants

Landlords must act fast on damp and mould under new law coming into force next week

Landlords will have strict timescales to investigate any report of damp or mould, provide written findings, and carry out necessary repairs under new legislation which comes into effect next week.

The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 – also known as Awaab’s Law – comes into force on 6 October.

Guidance for landlords and tenants was published by the Scottish Government ahead of the legislation going live. This outlines:

landlords must ensure reports of damp or mould are investigated promptly – this includes reports made by tenants or issues landlords discover during unrelated visits such as inspections
investigations and repairs must be carried out by someone with relevant skills and experience
necessary repairs must tackle the root cause of the damp or mould, not just treat the symptoms.

Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Everyone deserves the right to live in a warm, safe and secure home, free from disrepair. These regulations mean any reports of damp or mould will be swiftly investigated, with landlords required to appropriately tackle the root cause.

“The vast majority of homes in Scotland are already free from damp and mould, but we’re determined to protect everyone, which is why we’re extending these safeguards to social and private tenants.

“Shaped through close work with tenant and landlord representatives, we have published guidance giving landlords the clarity they need to comply confidently, while ensuring tenants are clear on their rights.

“With the law coming into force next week, it’s vital that both landlords and tenants take the time now to understand their rights and responsibilities. We’ll also be raising awareness of just how important it is for landlords and tenants to work together, so that damp and mould issues are identified early and resolved quickly.”

Awaab’s Law: guidance for landlords in Scotland – gov.scot

Awaab’s Law: guidance for tenants in Scotland – gov.scot

Reaction to latest homelessness figures

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Cllr Maureen Chalmers, responded to the Scottish Government’s Homelessness Figures. She said: “Today’s published homelessness figures are disappointing and underline the scale of the housing challenges facing local communities across the country.

“While there are some slight improvements in some measures, too many individuals and families continue to experience homelessness.

“Councils are working tirelessly to prevent homelessness and support those in need, but housing demand continues to outstrip supply in many areas.

“Tackling this challenge requires sustained investment in affordable housing, a strong focus on prevention, and close partnership working across national and local government.

“Everyone deserves access to a safe, secure and affordable home, and councils remains committed to working with partners to make that ambition a reality.”

The number of children waking up without a home in Scotland has reached another record high and more than doubling in the last 10 years, new Scottish Government statistics show.

10,715 children are currently trapped in temporary accommodation, compared to 5,223 in 2015. People are waiting in temporary accommodation for years for a home and more people are sleeping rough. Instances of local authority homelessness services unlawfully breaching people’s housing rights have also significantly increased, up 32% to 21,800 since last year.

The figures show the sheer scale of Scotland’s broken housing system – the result of decades of underinvestment and the failure to build enough social homes, says Shelter Scotland.

The leading housing and homelessness charity says that the situation can be turned around, but only if building more social homes becomes a national mission supported by an exceptional level of funding. Areas that need it most like Glasgow must receive national investment from Scottish and UK Governments.

This new data comes after the First Minister promised to end the use of unsuitable temporary accommodation for children in the recent Programme for Government. The test now is whether real change will be felt by the thousands of families and children without a home.

Gordon Llewellyn-MacRae, Interim Director at Shelter Scotland said: “Scotland’s housing emergency has been decades in the making. Children are growing up in harmful conditions and families don’t know how long they will be stuck in limbo.

“Local authorities are under extreme pressure and are unlawfully turning people away who have a right to housing. That pressure is resulting in housing being weaponised with calls to roll back rights. It is utterly unacceptable.

“We know why it has happened- because we have failed to build enough social homes. The First Minister’s recent pledge to stop children being placed in harmful temporary accommodation is very welcome, showing he has listened to the demands of families. But we won’t celebrate just yet – promises mean nothing without action.

“The situation in Glasgow needs a national response. It needs investment from the Scottish and UK Governments until the asylum backlog declines and we must see the delivery of homes quicker to lift people – especially children – out of temporary accommodation.

“The good news is we know how to end the housing emergency and so do the Government. We need committed investment to deliver the social homes desperately and urgently needed. If the Government focuses More Homes Scotland on social housing, there’s a massive opportunity to change the trajectory.

“Families can’t wait any longer. It’s time to turn the tide and follow through with action, so we don’t allow more children to face the same fate for the next decade.”

Janet Haugh, CEO of Right There, said: “These figures should shock us all. More than 10,700 children are now growing up in temporary accommodation across Scotland, while rough sleeping continues to rise.

“Scotland cannot keep describing this as a housing emergency without responding like it is one.

“We need action, not platitudes. Prevention, affordable housing and early support must move from ambition to action.”

ONE MILLION NEW GARDENS

Campaign calls for a new standard for Britain’s new-build homes

The New Build Manifesto launches with a call to make gardens part of the infrastructure of new housing – designed from the outset for people, wildlife and a changing climate

As Britain embarks on one of its biggest periods of housebuilding in a generation, a new national campaign is calling for the gardens around those homes to be given far greater attention.

The New Build Manifesto https://newbuildmanifesto.co.uk/, founded by award-winning garden writer and designer Andrew Jackson, launches on 24 September with a mission to raise the standard of new-build gardens across Britain.

With more than a million new gardens potentially being created during this Parliament, the campaign argues that Britain has a once-in-a-generation opportunity: not simply to build new homes, but to create an entirely new generation of gardens.

Yet many buyers currently receive outdoor spaces that are little more than a starting point – compacted or poor-quality soil, thin turf, close-board fencing, limited planting and little provision for wildlife, shade or increasingly extreme weather.

For homeowners, the result can be years of work and considerable additional expense before the space outside their new home becomes the garden they expected it to be.

The New Build Manifesto wants that to change.

Its central argument is simple: a garden should not be treated as the space left over once a new home has been built. It should be regarded as part of its essential infrastructure.

“We are building new homes at a huge scale, but we urgently need to ask what we are building around them too,” says Andrew Jackson, founder of The New Build Manifesto.

“We have the opportunity to create more than a million new gardens in just a few years. Imagine the impact if those gardens began life with decent soil, better planting, space for nature and the ability to cope with heavier rainfall and hotter summers.

“A new garden shouldn’t be an expensive problem handed to the homeowner with the keys. Done properly, it can be an asset from day one – for the people who live there, for wildlife and for the neighbourhood around it.”

MORE THAN A LAWN AND A FENCE

There are around 25.8 million gardens across Great Britain, according to the Royal Horticultural Society. Collectively, they form an enormous network of green space, providing habitat for wildlife while helping to absorb rainfall, moderate temperatures and make towns and cities greener and more liveable.

The creation of more than a million new gardens therefore represents an environmental opportunity at a scale that is easy to overlook.

The New Build Manifesto is calling for the quality of gardens and outdoor spaces to be considered alongside the quality of the homes themselves.

It wants the conversation about new housing to include practical questions about the ground beneath our gardens, how water moves through developments, the trees and plants we establish, how wildlife can move between plots, and whether gardens being created today will remain comfortable and resilient as the climate changes.

The ambition is not to prescribe what every garden should look like. It is to ensure homeowners are given the foundations from which a good garden can grow.

FROM BLANK PLOT TO THRIVING GARDEN

Jackson knows the experience first-hand. When he moved into a new-build home, his own garden began as many do: a relatively blank plot surrounded by fencing.

Over the following years, he transformed it into a mature, wildlife-rich garden. That experience eventually prompted a much bigger question: why are so many new homeowners expected to begin their gardens almost entirely from scratch?

The New Build Manifesto grew from that question.

It combines a national campaign for better new-build gardens with practical support for the people already living with them – helping homeowners understand their soil, improve drainage, choose resilient plants, create habitats for wildlife and allow young gardens to develop character and maturity over time.

The message is deliberately optimistic: the blank plots being created around new homes are not simply a problem to solve. Collectively, they could become one of Britain’s biggest opportunities to create new green space.

A CAMPAIGN FOR HOMEOWNERS AND INDUSTRY

The New Build Manifesto is bringing together homeowners, housebuilders, developers, garden designers, horticultural businesses, environmental organisations and policymakers around a shared ambition for better new-build gardens.

Rather than seeking to create identical gardens, the campaign wants to establish some basic principles for what homeowners should reasonably expect: good ground, sensible water management, opportunities for planting and trees, connectivity for wildlife, and gardens capable of adapting to a changing climate.

It will also provide homeowners with practical information and inspiration to help them transform the gardens they already have.

Andrew Jackson adds: “This isn’t about demanding elaborate landscaped gardens with every new house. It’s about getting the fundamentals right.

“We are going to build these homes anyway, and the land around them is going to become millions of gardens. We can either regard that space as an afterthought, or recognise what an extraordinary opportunity it represents.

“Britain is a nation of gardeners. The next generation of British gardens is being created right now.”

From 24 September 2026, homeowners, organisations and industry professionals will be invited to take the New Build Manifesto pledge and support the campaign for a better standard of garden alongside every new home.

Supporting people at risk of homeslessness

A new prevention-focused approach and rapid rehousing will be at the heart of work reduce homelessness in Scotland over the next five years.

The Scottish Government unveiled plans for a shift in approach from crisis management to prevention as part of this year’s Programme for Government.

Measures to tackle homelessness include:

an additional 1,500 Housing First tenancies, supporting people with complex care needs into permanent housing
continued roll-out of the Homelessness Prevention Fund of £50 million over 10 years
£1 million from the Homelessness Prevention Fund for the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland to strengthen tenancy sustainment activity by registered social landlords in Glasgow
£2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme to become permanent, offering support for women and children to leave an abusive partner.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing Shirley-Anne Somerville visited homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland in Edinburgh, which is involved in two Scottish Government prevention pilot projects.

One is in partnership with Police Scotland while the other is in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service – which will enable police officers and ambulance staff to identify housing instability and homelessness risk and provide tailored individual support.

Ms Somerville said: “The best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. That is why we are shifting our approach from crisis management to prevention and rapid rehousing.

“We will do all we can over this Parliament to help people off the streets and end the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation.

“I was pleased to meet staff and tenants at Simon Community Scotland Streetreads library to hear first-hand how their early identification of housing problems is helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. Their homelessness prevention pilots are generating valuable learning and knowledge transfer, and we want to replicate this across the country.

“Over the next five years we will drive progress through our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund, our Housing First programme which will provide 1,500 permanent tenancies for people experiencing homelessness, and our £2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme which supports women to leave an abusive partner.

“Our record investment of up to £4.9 billion over the next five years will deliver around 36,000 affordable homes.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

Positive progress in tackling housing emergency, councillors told

Positive progress is being made on in tackling Edinburgh’s housing emergency, according to updates considered by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Tuesday (25 August 2026).

Since the Housing Emergency Action Plan was agreed in 2024, 1,473 affordable homes have been completed by the Council and partners, 1,144 sites started and 866 additional suitable temporary accommodation properties purchased.

There has also been a significant reduction in the number of families with children living in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

In addition the Ask and Act pilot scheme has been launched in Wester Hailes, which aims to prevent people from becoming homeless at the earliest opportunity by working with partners across the public and third sector.

Members also agreed to end the suspension of the Council’s allocations policy, put in place to prioritise people facing homelessness, following progress in reducing the number of void Council homes alongside an increase in the supply of suitable temporary accommodation. This follows the commitment of the Council to invest £1.6bn in affordable housing.

A new grant scheme will also provide eligible owners of empty homes with up to £20,000 to bring properties up to a lettable standard. In return, owners will be required to make the property available for Private Sector Leasing for a period of three or five years.

The grant scheme is intended to allow empty home owners who do not have the financial means to address necessary works to bring the home into use. In turn, this will contribute to the number of suitable temporary homes available, easing pressure on the current housing emergency. Overall up to £600k is to be granted through the scheme.

Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “I’m encouraged by the progress being made to tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency, with significantly fewer people not being provided with temporary accommodation, and a reduction in the number of children living in unsuitable accommodation.

“Everyone has the right to a safe and suitable place to call home. The pause on housing allocations has helped us prioritise those facing homelessness, while we work to increase the supply of temporary accommodation across the city.

“Bringing empty homes back into use is another important part of increasing the supply of housing. This funding will help owners meet the costs of essential works while, in return, making these homes available for private sector leasing for a 3 or 5 years.

“If you or a friend or relative own an empty home, I would urge you to find out more about how the support available.

“There is still much to be done, but I’m encouraged by the progress being made on the Housing Emergency Action Plan, which demonstrates tangible improvements being made.”

Efforts to increase suitable temporary accommodation include bringing houses back into use, purchasing properties and commissioning new temporary accommodation.

While in place, the suspension of the allocations policy allowed more than 350 households, including 200 families, to be moved out of unsuitable temporary accommodation and directly into a settled tenancy.

Read the reports, Suspension of Allocations Policy, the Empty Homes Grant Scheme and Housing Emergency Action Plan – Biannual Update on the Council website.

Young Edinburgh changemakers celebrated for driving positive community impact

YMCA Edinburgh recognised at global summit for creating leadership opportunities for young people driving community change

Eleven-year-olds Edie Chaw and Tarek Hydara Estribio are being celebrated by YMCA Edinburgh after showcasing that you don’t have to be an adult to drive real change. Both are residents of Cables Wynd House in Leith and active members of youth-led advocacy groups supported by the charity, and they are leading the charge in helping develop their neighbourhood for the better.

Edie and Tarek are active participants in several of YMCA Edinburgh’s initiatives, including The Cables Wynd House Youth Residents Forum, a youth-led advocacy group where they held consultations with their peers and collaborated with adult residents and Making Rights Real to present a comprehensive housing report to the City of Edinburgh Council. As part of the initiative they were also consulted on public space improvements.

Edie and Tarek are also involved in The Next Generation Youth Forum, a programme focused on empowering the next generation of changemakers. They also work on local green space projects, sustainable food and composting workshops, and creative community awareness programs like climate-themed banner workshops as part of their involvement in the Climate Change Group.

The success of these youth-led initiatives by YMCA Edinburgh was recently recognised on the global stage.

At the 2026 YMCA World Council in Toronto, Mike Kerracher, Chief Executive Officer of YMCA Edinburgh, represented the organisation alongside international leaders and Felipe Paullier, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs.

Speaking on a panel, the event had 1,400 representatives from over 120 countries, Kerracher showcased how organisations can move beyond merely consulting young people to actively creating genuine opportunities for them to lead.

Now, YMCA Edinburgh is launching a renewed call to create these leadership opportunities locally and nationally, emphasising that youth are ready to drive real community change if given the chance.

Mike Kerracher, CEO of YMCA Edinburgh, said: “Edie and Tarek are fantastic examples of what happens when young people are empowered to take the lead.

“True community change happens when we stop making decisions for young people and start making decisions with them, when we give them a genuine seat at the table and invest in their ideas, they shine.”

Edie Chaw, 11, said: “Sometimes people think only grown-ups know how to fix things, but kids see the neighbourhood differently.

“When you don’t only ask adults, but also ask what kids want, and when everyone actually listens to each other we can come together and combine our ideas to create something everyone wants.”

Tarek Hydara Estribio, 11, added: “Being part of these projects helps me learn how to communicate, work as a team, and socialise with lots of different people.

“It’s given us a real chance to speak up because we just want to be heard, and it feels great to know we’re actually helping to make things better.”

This international recognition follows a highly successful year for YMCA Edinburgh, which supported over 250 individuals across its services. Mentorship remains a cornerstone of the organisation’s success.

Over the last year, 39 dedicated volunteer mentors provided vital one-to-one support to 59 young people. As a result, 98% of participants reported improved access to opportunities and 94% experienced enhanced wellbeing.

Alongside these programmes, the organisation successfully delivered seven weeks of free holiday activities, expanding sports, outdoor learning, and wellbeing support for local families.

YMCA Edinburgh is committed to creating even more opportunities for young people to lead, influence decisions, and shape the future of their communities.

Young people who want to make a difference are encouraged to get in touch to find out more about the Next Generation Youth Forum and other participation opportunities. The organisation is also keen to hear from adults interested in volunteering as mentors, collaborating with young people around meaningful climate action in the local community, or supporting its wider work.

Whether through mentoring, partnership, fundraising, or simply encouraging a young person to get involved, everyone has a role to play in empowering the next generation. To find out more, email admin@ymcaedinburgh.com.

First Minister visits Social Bite Village

It was great to welcome First Minister John Swinney MSP to the Edinburgh Social Bite Village to see first-hand the impact of our response to homelessness.

During his visit, the First Minister met with residents and staff to find out more about our innovative alternative to temporary accommodation.

FM John Swinney visits Social Bite’s Edinburgh Village – 19/08/26

Mr Swinney commented: “Social Bite, working with Cyrenians, is doing vital work to support people through crisis and help them rebuild their lives.

“I would like to express my gratitude to residents for welcoming me into their homes and giving me the opportunity to hear more about their experiences.”

We urge both the Scottish and UK Governments to explore adopting the Village Model in cities across the UK in a bid to address the nation’s homelessness crisis.

The Social Bite Village Model demonstrates how unused or derelict land can be transformed into high-quality, purpose-built communities, providing a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional forms of temporary accommodation.

Find out more about building a Social Bite Village in your local area:

https://www.social-bite.co.uk/…/build-a-village-in…/