SCOTLAND’S largest net zero housing estate is set to be built in Edinburgh after plans were approved.
The 444-home Western Villages development is being led by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with CCG (Scotland) and architect, Cooper Cromar.
The properties are designed to the principles of CCG’s newly launched net zero home housing building standard. The local authority explained that the homes will have enhanced fabric performance, low carbon heating and renewable technology.
The development forms part of the Granton Waterfront regeneration, with the Wester Villages estate to take advantage of parkland and sea views. It will also have access to pedestrian and cycle tracks, as well as electrical car charging points.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s vice convener for the housing, homelessness and fair work committee, councillor Mandy Watt, said, “All of the steps we’re taking to make homes more sustainable will reduce the energy they use once occupied, thereby helping us to tackle climate change and become net zero carbon by 2030. That’s why we’re pleased to have CCG working with us as they adopt a new ground-breaking housebuilding standard.
“It’s great to see this development with a large proportion of social rent homes get planning approval. We have incredibly ambitious plans which form the bedrock of our housing strategy over the next ten years. There is a critical need for more affordable homes in Edinburgh and we are responding to that through the commitment to build 20,000 social and affordable homes by 2027.”
CCG MD, David Wylie, added, “Housebuilding is going to play a major part in achieving our ambitious target of becoming a ‘net zero’ economy by 2045. With gas being removed from new build homes as early as 2024, it places greater emphasis on collaborative working as the partners on this project have demonstrated; utilising the CCG Net Zero Home building standard to create an affordable, scalable and practical solution that can ultimately be delivered now for any residential development. We commend the City of Edinburgh Council for their bold commitment and share their aspirations for a more sustainable future for Scotland.”
Cooper Cromar project director, Graham Connor, commented, “Cooper Cromar are delighted to have been appointed as the architect to design and deliver this important residential project delivering one of the initial phases of the Granton Waterfront Development Framework which sets out the urban design framework and design guidelines for future developments within the wider Granton area. We have sought to create a masterplan that not only stands alone for its significance as Scotland’s largest net zero development but also respectful to the wider regeneration of Granton. It will complement and integrate with future phases of housing delivery and we look forward to working with the project partners over the coming years.”
The council said that it expects construction to begin in mid-2022.
