Tag: Wester Hailes

SWAP: Edinburgh launches innovative pilot to prevent homelessness

A new pilot aimed at preventing people from becoming homeless has officially been given the go-ahead in the Capital after the Council and partners were awarded funding from the Scottish Government.

The System Wide Approach to Prevention (SWAP) – ‘Ask and Act’ initiative will be piloted in Wester Hailes, providing earlier interventions and practical support to help people at risk of homelessness to remain in their homes.

The launch follows the recent passing of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 which places new legal duties on public bodies to ask about a person’s housing situation and take action to prevent homelessness before it happens.

Across Scotland, 15 projects are sharing £4 million through the Homelessness Prevention Pilot Fund, administered by Advice Direct Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, to develop and test prevention pilots.

A team will now be created in the Capital which will include public and third-sector partners. They will be trialling new models of working to provide co-ordinated and timely support for individuals and households at risk of homelessness.

The ‘Ask’ and ‘Act’ duties will be embedded in everyday services provided by partners in the Wester Hailes area.

The services working in partnership with the Council to deliver these duties are NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, Prospect Community Housing, Social Security Scotland, Scottish Prison Service and Crisis.

This approach will allow them to identify what people need help earlier, offer support directly, and request further help and support via a single point of contact within the Council’s prevention services.

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Tim Pogson said: “This is fantastic news, being awarded just over £600k from a £4 million fund for the whole of Scotland is a tremendous endorsement of our proposal, and I’m grateful to the team who brought it together and partners for agreeing to be part of this.

“It will also help us boost our efforts to tackle the housing emergency facing the city. It’s exciting that work is already under way, and I’m confident we’ll see positive results in the new year.

“Preventing homelessness and supporting tenants before they reach crisis point is essential to ensuring as many people as possible have a secure home.

“Last year alone, our homelessness prevention services helped 2,622 households as part of our Local Housing Strategy, the city’s overarching strategy for housing and homelessness.”

Màiri McAllan, the Housing Secretary, Scottish Government, said: “We are determined to end homelessness – and the best way to do this is to prevent homelessness in the first place.

“This investment in prevention pilots will help us test and scale up innovative approaches to help people stay in their homes.

Wester Hailes Post Office: October move confirmed

  • Move to Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza
  • Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm
  • 51 hours of Post Office service per week
  • Branch would open on Saturday afternoons
  • Experienced postmasters

Post Office has agreed to relocate Wester Hailes Post Office in October to a new location – Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW.

Wester Hailes Post Office, which is currently directly managed by Post Office, will be run by our new retail franchise partner at the new location within the same shopping centre. 

Father and son, Mohammed and Aamir Arshad have run Plaza News, a hardware and convenience store, since 2016. Previously they ran Whitecraig Post Office and off-licence store in Musselburgh for six years.

The current branch at 14A Westside Plaza will close on Monday 6 October at 5.30pm, with the new branch opening, at Plaza News on Tuesday 7 October at 1pm.

Post Office Limited recently announced it is moving to a fully franchised network, as part of our wider commitment to deliver a “New Deal for Postmasters”.

Over 99% of the Post Office network is already successfully operated on a franchise basis by carefully selected retail partners. We are confident this would create a long-term, sustainable future for post offices in communities across the UK, including Wester Hailes.

After careful consideration of the feedback received during consultation, we remain confident that the layout and location of the new branch will continue to meet customer needs and deliver an excellent service, whilst securing the long-term viability of Post Office services in the local community.  

The same range of services will still be available, including an internal ATM.

The opening hours will be Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm. This will be an extra 5 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service a week including Saturday afternoon and earlier opening on a Tuesday morning than currently for the convenience of customers.

Wester Hailes Post Office will have two open plan serving positions at the retail counter.

There is a car park at the shopping center with dedicated disabled parking bays on upper level where the new branch will be located.

Current Post Office employees have the opportunity to TUPE across to continue to work at the relocated branch.

Wester Hailes firearm incident: Police appeal for information

Detectives investigating the discharge of a firearm in Edinburgh are urging those with information to contact them.

The incident occurred around 3.40pm on Thursday, 24 July, 2025 in the Hailesland Gardens area of the city. A 23-year-old man sustained an injury to his arm and was taken to hospital. He has since been released.

Officers have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries.

From reviewing CCTV footage, officers have established several people were in the area at the time of the incident.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Gordon Couper, said: “I would like to reassure everyone that a team of experienced detectives are working on this case.

“I believe there are people in the community who have information and for whatever reason they are not passing it on. I would appeal to them to help us and contact us. We are piecing together what happened and your detail could be the vital piece in the puzzle.

“If you saw anything or have captured any images which could assist in our inquiry please do get in touch. Everything is significant.”

Additional officers are in the area and anyone with information or concerns can speak to these officers.

Superintendent Paul Gillespie said: “We are determined to protect the public from harmful criminality and additional officers are on patrol to provide reassurance to everyone.

“Be assured, we are acting on your concerns and are carrying out regular activity in the Wester Hailes area, such as executing drugs warrants and tackling antisocial behaviour.

“Community based criminality affects the lives of everyone and we are working with our partners to deliver initiatives and plans to respond, detect and deter criminality.

If anyone has any information, please call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 2318 of 24 July, 2025.

You can also get in touch with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give your information anonymously.

New affordable housing development taking shape in Wester Hailes

WORK is well underway on the Wester Hailes development, marking a key step forward in the Council’s long-term vision to transform the area.

Located at the former Wester Hailes Health Centre site at 7 Murrayburn Gate, the Council has appointed CCG (Scotland) Ltd to deliver 73 net-zero carbon homes.

The development will offer a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats – all affordable housing, with five properties designed to be wheelchair accessible.

It will also include a central recreational space with play facilities, a rain garden, structured landscaping, private gardens and terraces, and excellent access to pedestrian and cycle routes.

As part of a wider regeneration initiative, the project aims to support the creation of a model 20-minute neighbourhood – where residents can access work, education, shops, and services within a short walk or cycle from their homes.

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said: “I am delighted to see the work progressing on our ambitious plans to transform Wester Hailes into one of Edinburgh’s 20-minute neighbourhoods.

“I also warmly welcome the direct benefits to local people which this development will deliver in terms of employment and training opportunities.

“These new homes at Murrayburn Gate will deliver much-needed high-quality, net-zero carbon housing and provide improved access to green spaces and community services – all essential attributes of thriving and inclusive local communities, and reflective of our efforts to address Edinburgh’s ongoing Housing Emergency.”

CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “We are delighted to have commenced construction at Murrayburn Gate – another example of how the City of Edinburgh Council and CCG are working together to address localised housing needs and demand across the city region.

“The development is set to have a positive impact on the Wester Hailes community, not only through the delivery of high-quality, highly energy efficient homes, but also by job creation, various training opportunities, and localised charitable investment . I look forward to seeing how the development progresses over months ahead, as we work towards full completion in late-2026.”

As part of the project, CCG will deliver a broad programme of community benefits throughout the EH14 postcode area and beyond, in partnership with the Council. These include employment and training opportunities, as well as support for local initiatives during the construction phase.

Two arrests following drugs recovery in Wester Hailes

On Thursday 10th of April 2025, officers in South West recovered an estimated street value of £50,000 class A drugs from an address in Dumbeg Park.

This was in addition to an estimated street value of £3200 class A and class B drugs seized from an address in Stenhouse Drive earlier in the week.

Two males aged 29 and 31 have been arrested in connection with the enquiry which remains ongoing.

Please continue to report drug dealing in the area.

#SWCPT

#CommunityPolicing

Appeal for information following an attempted robbery in Wester Hailes

Detectives are appealing for information following an attempted robbery in Wester Hailes.

Around 11pm on Friday, 15 November, 2024, two men approached a vehicle on Hailesland Road, threatened the driver, demanded money from him and damaged the vehicle. The men then got into a light-coloured car and drove along Murrayburn Road in the direction of Longstone Road.

Detective Constable William Doughty said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the victim and we are carrying out extensive enquiries to identify the men responsible.

“We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time, who witnessed the incident or noticed anything suspicious, to come forward.

“Additionally, we urge anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage to review it and bring anything significant to our attention.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call 101, quoting incident 4500 of 15 November. Alternatively, details can be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Council housing: Mixed Tenure Improvement Service report

Councillors have noted a report which sets out the result of the mixed tenure improvement service pilot following the completion of works in Wester Hailes.

In mixed tenure blocks, there is a combination of ownership including owner occupiers and landlords that include the Council and other social landlords.

Mixed tenure neighbourhoods arose from right-to-buy legislation in the 1980s and 1990s which has made it more difficult to progress repairs and maintenance to common areas of blocks or tenements, for all owners. 

Many of these blocks are now in need of significant investment to common areas due to age and lack of formal factoring arrangements and regular maintenance of shared parts of the blocks. Regular maintenance is the responsibility of all owners and is needed to the external fabric and communal areas of mixed tenure blocks to make sure flats are wind and watertight, warm, damp free, safe and secure.

The Mixed Tenure Improvement Service (MTIS) was established in 2020/21 to deliver fabric repairs and maintenance, including energy efficiency works where considered part of the repair or maintenance works, to mixed tenure blocks.

The MTIS pilot, which was carried out in Wester Hailes, included repairs to 1,341 flats in 175 blocks. Work carried out on behalf of all owners across the pilot included repairs and replacement of roofing, guttering, drying room facades, installation of external wall and attic insulation, together with the maintenance and decoration of communal stairwell spaces.

It follows the scheme being shortlisted in the Housing and Regeneration category of the 2023 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration. The awards identify and celebrate best practice, innovation and achievement in interventions that improve homes and communities across Scotland.

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Jane Meagher said: “Bringing all our housing stock up to a good condition, making homes energy efficient, warm and affordable to heat is very important, both for tenants and for owners in these blocks.

“By making these older homes more energy efficient, we’re driving down carbon emissions and clamping down on issues like damp and fuel poverty. Not only are owners and tenants using less energy, and therefore saving money on energy bills, but they’ve noticed a huge improvement in the overall area because of the works.

“Council officers have worked hard to support tenants and private owners throughout the MTIS pilot, so I’m delighted that their work was recognised by the prestigious 2023 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration. I look forward to seeing the MTIS continue to develop and improve as we work with owners and tenants to offer support and guidance.”

Man arrested following drugs warrants in Wester Hailes and Stenhouse

Following information from the public, Police executed warrants at three addresses in the Wester Hailes and Stenhouse areas yesterday (Friday, 12 April, 2024).

Drugs with an estimated value of around £38,000, a significant amount of cash and other valuable items were recovered.

A 44-year-old man was arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing.

Police would like to thank the local community for their support.

Police hunt two youths following armed robbery in Murrayburn

Detectives are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery which took place in Edinburgh last night (Monday, 5 February, 2024).

Around 10.55pm a male delivery driver on a moped was dropping off an order at a property in Murrayburn Gardens.

When he approached the delivery address he noticed a male youth had got onto his moped.

He asked the youth to get off and another male youth appeared and threatened him with what appeared to be a firearm.

The youths took the victim’s phone and moped keys and made off on the vehicle heading along Murrayburn Gardens towards Westside Plaza.

Police were contacted and the moped was recovered two hours later in Morvenside in Wester Hailes.

The first suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He had Scottish accent and was softly spoken.

The second suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, 5ft9, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He also had a Scottish accent and was softly spoken.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victim and it is vital that we trace the two individuals responsible.

“We are appealing for anyone who was in Murrayburn Gardens or the surrounding area on Monday evening who may have noticed anything suspicious to please get in touch.

“We would also urge anyone with private CCTV or dash-cam footage of two males riding on a moped in the Wester Hailes area to pass this on to officers.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3790 of Monday, 5 February, 2024. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Police continue to search for missing mum Khasha Smith

POLICE enquiries are continuing to locate 35-year-old Khasha Smith, missing from Calder Grove in Edinburgh. Officers have been distributing and pinning up posters in the local area.

Khasha’s family is extremely concerned for her and are hoping the posters remind people she’s still missing and that we are still looking for information which could help us find her.

As enquiries have progressed, police have established that the last known, confirmed sighting of Khasha was Tuesday, 10 October, 2023.

Khasha is around 5ft tall, with a slim build. She has blue eyes and long, blonde hair. She also has tattoos, one which is visible on her right wrist and says ‘Forever’.

She often visits the Gorgie, Broomhouse and Wester Hailes areas.

If anyone has seen Khasha or has any information on where she may have gone, please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 3915 of 5 January.