Edinburgh plans submitted for new homes at Scottish Water site at Fairmilehead
Current building has RAAC concrete and asbestos throughout
Scottish Water is seeking planning permission for up to 124 new homes on its site at Fairmilehead as it prepares to quit its offices there and move to the city centre.
The proposal for the 2.45 hectare hectare site at 55 Buckstone Terrace is for three apartment blocks and three blocks of terraced townhouses, ranging from three- to six-storeys in height.
The former Fairmilehead water treatment works were sold in 2012 and the land redeveloped for housing. Scottish Water retained its offices on the neighbouring site, but now says they are “significantly under-utilised” due to the shift to hybrid working following Covid. The buildings also contain both the potentially dangerous RAAC concrete and asbestos.
Now Scottish Water’s staff at Fairmilehead are to move instead to vacant space at the city council’s headquarters, Waverley Court in East Market Street.
And an application has been lodged with the city council, seeking approval for the principle of residential development on the Fairmilehead site.
Scottish Water proposes the demolition of all existing buildings and the erection of a residential development and other associated works and infrastructure including car parking, servicing, access arrangements and landscaping.
It says the housing would consist of 81 private dwellings and 43 affordable dwellings, in line with the council’s requirement for 35 per cent of new residential developments to include 35 per cent affordable housing.
The application includes an indicative site layout for the new development, alongside landscaping, open space, drainage, below ground infrastructure and access and egress points.
And Scottish Water says: "It is proposed that existing access into the site will be retained from Waterfield Road to the north which will lead to a shared street giving access to both properties and parking.
“Pedestrian connectivity is proposed to the housing development to the east, as well as through to Buckstone Terrace in the west. It is also proposed that a small section of the listed boundary wall will be removed to allow direct pedestrian access to a bus stop at the south-west corner of the site.”
The current building on the site was constructed in 1971 as a purpose-built office headquarters, originally serving East of Scotland Water prior to the formation of Scottish Water. It was extensively refurbished in 1994 and then extended in 2000/2001.
But Scottish Water says: “The current condition of the building is not commensurate with meaningful redevelopment due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and asbestos throughout.”
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “As part of a wider property review, we are relocating our Edinburgh office from Fairmilehead to Waverley Court in the city centre. Staff currently based at Fairmilehead will relocate to Waverley Court or other operational locations, with the transition expected to take place in autumn 2026.”
Fairmilehead Community Council is holding a special meeting on July 29 at 7pm in the Caiystane Hall at Fairmilehead Parish Church to allow the local community to discuss the application and what is intended for the site.
Colinton/Fairmilehead Conservative councillor Jason Rust said: “This is a prime location and it is important that Fairmilehead residents have their say in advance of the August 8 planning deadline for comments."