Plans submitted for 90 council flats in Wester Hailes

Proposals for nearly 90 new council flats to be built on derelict land in Wester Hailes are set to be lodged with city planners.

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article.

Part of a 15-year vision to regenerate the south-west Edinburgh community with net zero homes, improved transport links and more learning and employment opportunities, the development will be one of the first projects to get started.

If granted permission, the City of Edinburgh Council’s housing services will build around 87 residential flats at Murrayburn Gate where Wester Hailes Health Centre once stood.

An artist's impression of what the flats would look like

This week councillors were notified that planning permission for the ‘proposed affordable housing development with associated infrastructure and landscaping’ will be submitted soon.

A presentation prepared by Robertson Partnership Homes on behalf of the council states this will consist of ‘100 per cent affordable housing with amix of rents’.

“There will be a range of flat sizes, ground door properties with their own front doors where possible and larger family-sized flats,” it adds.

“This mix of homes will provide a varied community for all ages and stages of life.”

Furrthermore, ground floor flats will be provided with private gardens, whilst shared recreational open space will include play facilities and a rain garden.

The plans add: “The proposed site offers an opportunity to regenerate vacant brownfield land to provide an attractive housing development which positively responds to its local setting.

“Frontages have been designed to address key routes and spaces within the proposal. The block pattern provides natural surveillance, promoting a sense of safety and enhancing the pedestrian connection to the street.’

A report outlining the council’s proposals went before members of the Development Management Sub-Committee on Wednesday (January 12) ahead of the major planning application being submitted.

Convenor Neil Gardiner said: “There is an ongoing masterplan in the area of Wester Hailes and so this development would need to take account of how that’s developing and potentially, because it’s town centre as well as housing, this might be an opportunity for mixed uses.

“In any event connectivity is always something this committee’s always concerned of; active travel, connectivity and providing good amenity space for the residents of the development.

“There isn’t an active community council in Wetser Hailes but there has been strong community consultation and that will continue and also Juniper Green Community Council is interested in this proposal so we will be liasing with them as well.”

The committee raised no issues with the pre-planning application.

Cllr Gardiner added: “I very much welcome development on this site and look forward to proposals being brought forward in the future.”

An online community consultation event for local residents and organisations to give their views on the development was held on December 8 and the council says another will take place ‘in due course’.

For more information visit www.murrayburngateedinburgh.co.uk.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.