One of the most significant expansions of Edinburgh in a generation is set to proceed following planning approval by the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for the 205-acre “West Town” site near Edinburgh Airport.
Councillors at CEC’s Development Sub Committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to grant planning consent “in principle” for the entire West Town site — with a capacity for 7,000 new homes — in a move which is set to help tackle Edinburgh’s severe housing shortage.
Developed by West Town Edinburgh Ltd, the site is located between Ingliston Park and Ride and the Gogar Roundabout.
The £2 billion sustainable project will become the biggest, single homes-led development in Edinburgh in modern times.
Development plans follow guidelines set out by council’s City Plan 2030.
The plans include the largest investment in social housing for Edinburgh in recent years, with 2,500 new affordable homes planned.
Proposals for West Town include the necessary employment, commercial, leisure and community facilities required for a modern mixed-use community.
These include space for a primary school for up to 630 pupils and a high school for up to 1,200 pupils, a 300-bed hotel and 300-apartment student accommodation. There will also be 450,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use amenity space including medical provision, civic and community areas — plus bars, restaurants, cafes, retail, commercial and office space.
Transport provision will focus on a new tram stop in the centre of the development and an integrated bus service.
There will also be 27-acres of open green space – including a 5.5-acre central park, several pocket parks and a wildlife corridor criss-crossed by cycle, running and walking tracks.
West Town Edinburgh Ltd was formed in April 2021 by Drum Property Group to progress development of the site.
Graeme Bone, Drum’s Group Managing Director, said: “This planning consent is the next significant milestone in our journey to realise the ambition we share with the Council, as agreed in the City Plan 2030, to deliver a major transformation of the west of Edinburgh.
“We now have the once-in-a-generation opportunity to make West Town an exemplar, sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood on a par with the best new developments taking place anywhere across the UK and Europe.
“The amount of space on the site, combined with its superb location, allows for a natural extension of the city, providing 7,000 mixed-tenure homes and new jobs in a well-designed 20-minute neighbourhood.
“West Town also has direct access to some of the best public transport in Scotland – the tram line travels through the site and there are integrated rail, cycle and road connections, creating a strategic gateway for the west of Edinburgh …
“Drum has a proven track record of delivering high quality large-scale communities across Scotland and our ambition for the area matches that of the City of Edinburgh Council. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council to advance our shared vision to create a new, sustainable urban quarter for the city.”