1300 new homes on Edinburgh outskirts earmarked after social enterprise acquires land
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Places for People has secured land on the outskirts of Edinburgh from Murray Estates to bring forward over 1,300 new homes. The move comes after the organisation supplied over 1,700 new homes in the last year. The social enterprise hope the development on the 110-acre land will help to meet rising demand across the Scottish capital.
Colin Jack, Regional Managing Director – Scotland of Places for People Developments, comments: “The City of Edinburgh and the Scottish Government have declared a housing emergency. This is a sign that for too long Scotland has failed to address our chronic shortage of homes being built.
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Hide Ad“We are ready to help address this, and it is why we’re thrilled to play a part in developing the west of Edinburgh. This site will see over 1,300 new homes being brought forward in much needed mixed-tenure communities.
“Using our team’s extensive housebuilding background, we can create communities that last for generations to come.”
Murray Estates was once controlled by the former Rangers owner Sir David Murray. However, his sons David and Keith now have ownership. It’s ambitious Redheughs Village plans were approved in 2022. The £500m plan was projected to see 1350 new homes in the area, a 40-acre park and shops. Next year will mark a decade since the original approval was sought by the business.
David Murray, managing director of Murray Estates’ owner Murray Capital, said: “As a family business that has owned this site for 40 years, we’re pleased to see our vision for Redheughs taken forward by an organisation committed to creating sustainable, high-quality communities.
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Hide Ad“It’s nearly 10 years since we first applied for outline planning approval, so this transaction also unlocks capital that we can invest in new projects that support our ambitions as a patient, entrepreneurial business.
"This is the first phase of the broader Edinburgh Garden District, which is a key part of the western expansion of the city. We look forward to seeing west Edinburgh come to life and contribute thousands of new homes the capital so desperately needs. We retain other strategic land holdings in the area – including 500 acres of the Garden District – and will look to develop options for these over the coming years.”
The development will look to boost social impact activities across Scotland. In addition to promoting apprenticeships, local labour schemes and training opportunities through the development, they will look to supplement existing schemes in Edinburgh including the Hays Community Pantry and the Tools for Equity project.
In partnership with their subsidiary Places Leisure, they will also deliver additional physical activity sessions, extend the Relational Mentoring Project in partnership with Wise Group and form new partnerships with charities to address challenges in local communities.
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Hide AdColin concludes: “With the scale of our organisation, we know how important access to affordable housing is and our unique model supports us in delivering places that allow people to flourish. We don’t just build homes; we create communities that allow people to connect.
“Through our partnerships with local charities and businesses we strive to bring a place to life and ensure the community has access to services and resources that they need. We will now work closely with Edinburgh City Council to bring our aspirations to fruition.”
Plans will see homes being built from Summer 2026.
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