Hundreds ofaffordablehomes set forGranton site

HUNDREDS of new affordable homes are to be built as part of ambitious plans to transform Granton.

More than 300 affordable homes to come to Granton Harbour Port of Leith Housing Association has acquired a 2.1 hectare plot of land on West Harbour Road, Granton. Picture; contributed

Port of Leith Housing Association (Polha) said it had snapped up a 2.1-hectare plot of land on West Harbour Road and will build 302 homes over the next five years.

The deal comes after Polha won a £6 million Housing Association Grant (HAG) from the city council.

The development will feature a mix of council homes and mid-market rental properties.

It will form part of the Granton Harbour masterplan which will see the area undergo a £500m overhaul.

Once complete, it will boast 2000 new homes as well as parks, shops, a healthcare centre, a retirement living complex, a conference centre and hotel, restaurants, offices and Edinburgh’s new Marina.

Keith Anderson, chief executive at Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “This is an important step towards making Leith an even better place for people to live, visit and do business.

“We’re excited to be working with Edinburgh council and the Scottish Government to meet demand for good quality, affordable homes in north Edinburgh and to play a part in the ambitious regeneration plans for Granton Harbour.”

The deal comes just a month after it emerged that work will begin within months on the waterfront development after plans for a 300-berth marina were given the green light.

The first stage will see a marina office, community boat yard with dry dock and car parking built – in what has been described as “the focal point” of the regeneration of Granton.

Edinburgh Marina will become the first new marina next to a capital city in Europe for several decades.

Kevin Fawcett, from Granton Central Developments, said: “The provision of quality affordable homes for Edinburgh has never been more vital. Granton Central Developments is delighted to have been able to co-operate with the Port of Leith Housing Association to ensure this land provided these much needed new affordable homes.

“This proposed development will add further impetus to the regeneration of Granton Harbour which is soon to become Edinburgh’s new marina. The environment where homes are built is as important as the quality of the buildings and in both respects the Port of Leith Housing Association have the boxes ticked. This is very good news for Edinburgh.”

Granton Harbour will be just two-and-a-half miles from the city centre and it’s hoped the tram line will eventually surge into the development.

A city council spokesman said: “This significant new development at Granton Harbour is a great example of how the council and our housing association partners are delivering on the joint commitment to build 16,000 new affordable homes in Edinburgh over the next ten years.

“This latest announcement with Port of Leith Housing Association builds on our current success in accelerating house building to provide the increase in affordable homes that Edinburgh so desperately needs.

”I can’t think of a better use for the site than providing much needed affordable housing for local people.”

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