(City of Edinburgh Council, via Richard Webb of Geograph.org)
THE Greendykes area of Edinburgh could be set for the build of 130 new homes, following a funding boost of just over £620,000.
Led by the capital’s council, work is set to get underway to design new affordable, net zero carbon homes in the area. The funding boost means that the council can clean a site in Greendykes of contamination and improve ground conditions.
The local authority has appointed regeneration firm, Urban Union, to deliver the properties and will progress plans via the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator, which is a new business model for delivering affordable homes based around greater use of offsite construction.
Planning permission in principle has already been granted as part of an existing masterplan in the area. In the coming months, the council and Urban Union will engage with local people on home designs and, subject to ground works, it is anticipated that the first properties will be delivered in phases from early-2024 to mid-2025.
Councillor Jane Meagher, the City of Edinburgh Council’s housing, homelessness, and fair work convener, said, “Never has our need for better housing been greater as we face a cost-of-living crisis and a climate emergency, so we need to be really ambitious and use the small amount of space we have in our city creatively.
“For years, developers have overlooked this empty piece of land because of how complex it is to unlock. Yet, it’s situated minutes away from the Innocent Railway cycle path and is close to the Royal Infirmary and local employment. The area benefits from countless bus links into the city centre and it is a fantastic place to live.
“I’m thrilled that we’re going to be able to put the green back into Greendykes and we’ll work with local residents as we create these new net zero carbon homes. The funding will help us to transform the land and the local environment, while also providing new affordable and efficient places for people to live in line with our major housebuilding strategy.”
Neil McKay, MD of Urban Union, added, “As a delivery partner for the regeneration of Greendykes, it is our responsibility to ensure that we provide homes that not only create a community but that bring benefits to the occupiers and the wider environment.
“By utilising the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Programme, the council is showing its commitment not only to its tenants through the selection of quality homes but to innovation and the city’s pledge to be net zero by 2030.
“We are looking forward to meeting with the local residents to discuss the plans for the new homes and to obtaining their valuable input which will make sure that Greendykes becomes a blueprint for city centre regeneration.”
