THE proposed plans for the first phase of a £1.3 billion sustainable new coastal town at Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh are now available to the public.
Edinburgh Council plans to transform part of the city’s largest brownfield site into a new development of more than 800 net-zero homes with at least 35% of the homes being “affordable”.
Planning for the town also includes a new primary school, a low-carbon heat network, commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure, and public open spaces.
The low-carbon heat network which will service the homes in the new coastal town will be provided by Vattenfall Heat UK, a renewable energy firm, which is already in the advanced stages of working with Midlothian Council on a similar project.
According to the developers and the council, they have already conducted extensive consultations with local communities about the proposed plans.
The iconic Granton Gasholder is also part of the development of Edinburgh’s coastline and is being restored to become a public park.
Similarly, the former Granton Station has been refurbished and now has its own public square.
Council leader Cammy Day has said the project is an important step for the city to reach net zero.
He said: “We’ve been consulting with people every step of the way to deliver this project.
“I’m really pleased that after listening to feedback from the local community and others interested in the area, the team has submitted plans for the largest regeneration project of its kind in Scotland at Granton Waterfront as part of the £1.3bn regeneration.
“To deliver our net zero targets for the capital, sustainable regeneration is so important and every element of this development has been designed with that in mind.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a 20-minute neighbourhood completely from scratch which includes affordable net zero homes, shops, cultural, leisure and education facilities all close by.
“Our plans show how the new neighbourhood will link to the rest of the city and beyond as well as to the many established communities nearby.”
Fraser Lynes, managing director of Cruden Homes, said the project takes a fresh take on urban regeneration.
He said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the Council, local community and key stakeholders to create a transformational design that reconnects the Capital to the Firth of Forth.
“This landmark, landscape-led development of Edinburgh’s coastline takes a fresh approach to urban regeneration which will create an exciting new coastal community set to become one of Europe's largest waterside amenities.
“Moreover, the delivery of 847 much-needed, high quality and sustainable new homes across all tenures will make an important contribution to alleviating the well-documented housing emergency.”
