Residents speak about plans for 1300 home village in Edinburgh saying 'it will be chaos'

The masterplan for Redheughs, situated between Gogar Roundabout and Hermiston Gait next to the City of Edinburgh Bypass, was unveiled earlier this week.

The new ‘garden district’ would be built at the massive 54 hectares site across the bypass from Edinburgh Park if the plans are approved, and would include a new primary school, community hub, town park and civic square.

An aerial shot of the planned new Redheughs village on the western edge of Edinburgh. | City of Edinburgh Council

However, local residents in nearby Maybury have spoken about their fears over the plans, with concerns raised about local infrastructure including health provision and schools, as well as increased traffic in an already busy area for traffic coming in and out of the city.

One local resident living on Turnhouse Road, who asked not to be named, said: “Other than the traffic congestion, we already don’t have the infrastructure we need currently. What about doctors? We have already got problems here getting a doctor in this area. It’s a lot more people moving in there, so that will be worse.

“We have already got enough traffic on this side of Gogar Roundabout and that would just add to it. It will be chaos. This area is one of the most congested in Edinburgh.

“They make a lot of hullabaloo about air pollution, but surely approving these plans would go against that. They also said they would keep that area green belt, but here we are.

“There are already plans to knock down a large factory here and build up to 1,000 flats, so these new plans would just add to that.”

Local residents living on Turnhouse Road raised concerns about the plans for the new 1,300 home Edinburgh village on their doorstep. | National World

Another local resident said: “It’s too many homes. This area is already congested. Having more traffic here would just be dangerous. I just think it’s going to be too congested.

“When is this going to stop? They are just going to keep building. It’s a real shame, as that area is countryside. We have always liked living on the edge of Edinburgh, but we will soon be in the middle of the city if this keeps up.”

Another local added: “I think, particularly in this area, there are so many new flats and houses going up here. So the biggest problem is going to be traffic. It’s going to be a nightmare getting in and out when these houses are built.

“It’s changed a lot here in the last few years and this plan is just going to make things worse for coming in to and getting out of Edinburgh.

“The housebuilding in this area seems to be never-ending. I thought that area was green belt. Where do they stop?”

An artist's impression of the planned town park at Redheughs in Edinburgh. | City of Edinburgh Council

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Another local resident was concerned about school provision, despite the plans for Redheughs including a new primary school.

She said: “Why don’t they have early learning right through to high school instead of just a primary school? As where are all the kids living there going to go for nursery and high school? The local high schools are already busy.”

However, she said she would have no problems with the new village, provided that the required infrastructure is in place first.

Before adding: “When we moved here 18 years ago, it was a five minute walk to the countryside, but that’s all changed now.”

Defending their plans, a Places for People spokesperson said: “Places for People understand the importance of ensuring that our developments contribute positively to the local areas and are dedicated to creating a thriving and sustainable community at Redheughs. We are confident that our plans will bring significant benefits to the area, including much-needed housing, improved infrastructure, and enhanced community facilities.

“Our masterplan for Redheughs includes the development of a new primary school, a community hub, and 21 acres of parkland. These facilities are designed to meet the needs of the growing, healthy community and ensure that residents have access to essential services and nature. We are committed to working closely with the local authority to ensure that additional infrastructure is provided to support the new development, which is why we’re creating over 20,000sqft of commercial space.

“Finally, we have proposed a significant investment in the road network around Gogar Station Road, alleviating some of the traffic pressures, and we’ve committed in our plans to enhance pedestrian and bicycle linkages to tram, train, and cycle paths, promoting sustainable transportation options for new residents.

“Our plan is the culmination of a longstanding commitment to Edinburgh to help tackle their chronic housing shortage and contribute to Edinburgh Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan.”

Under the plans for Redheughs, a mix of building types from apartments, colonies, town houses, terraces, semi-detached and detached homes will be delivered throughout the ‘20 minute neighbourhood’ site. Affordable housing will be located also, accounting for 25 per cent of the total number of new homes.