New 20,000-person ‘urban neighbourhood’ planned for Edinburgh BioQuarter
The BioQuarter development would see living space, retail and medical and life sciences uses included, along with student flats
Plans for a major new "urban neighbourhood" featuring thousands of homes, labs, and student flats have been unveiled for a site south of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Developer Ryden has submitted proposals to Edinburgh Council for a mixed-use district at the city’s BioQuarter on land owned by Scottish Enterprise.
The site would also include food and drink sites and hotel space with conference and leisure facilities.
In addition, healthcare, lab space, research and development floorspace and educational facilities are listed in the proposal.
Alongside this, a ‘mobility hub’, energy centre and energy infrastructure, as well as green spaces and active travel works are proposed.
The site would take up land around Little France Road, owned by Scottish Enterprise.
Edinburgh’s planned new tram line is projected to run nearby the site, with consultation documents for the route showing the line passing the Royal Infirmary and going up Little France Drive.
In 2020, Edinburgh BioQuarter, made up of Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh Council, the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian, announced plans to see a £1bn urban neighbourhood established on the site.
They projected that it could see 20,000 people living, working or studying in the area in a new ‘health innovation district’.
At present, the area hosts the Royal Infirmary and the new Sick Kids, as well as lab and office space and two buildings for the University of Edinburgh.
The Chancellor’s Building, next to the Royal Infirmary, hosts the headquarters of the university’s medical school, as well as lecture theatres and other teaching facilities.
Meanwhile, the Usher Institute, opened in 2024 to the south of Little France Drive, hosts health research activities undertaken by the university.
Elsewhere on the site is an institute for tissue regeneration and several buildings dedicated to lab and office space for medical and life sciences research.