Green light for 799 unit, mixed-tenure scheme granted by Scottish Ministers Following a Review of the development
Highlights:
- The new scheme will deliver 799 new units, including 100 affordable homes, 293 BTR homes and 406 PBSA units
- Watkin Jones is in discussions with a local registered provider to procure and operate the affordable housing
- The scheme will include the refurbishment of the most important elements of listed structures around a publicly accessible square, linked to the site’s historic use as an agricultural market
- The development is expected to complete in 2029
Watkin Jones, the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, is pleased to announce that Scottish Ministers have approved its plan for the delivery of a residential scheme with mixed tenures in Edinburgh. The development will deliver circa 800 units, including 100 new affordable homes, 293 build to rent (‘BTR’) homes and 406 purpose built student accommodation (‘PBSA’) bedrooms in Chesser, to the west of Edinburgh city centre.
The scheme, previously approved by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee on 7 December 2022, was called in by Scottish Government in February 2023 so Ministers could review a number of noise related concerns. Scottish Ministers have now approved the scheme after finding the concerns were unfounded, subject to several planning conditions being added.
Edinburgh is in need of new housing, as was recently recognised in the Edinburgh Local Development Plan. Over the next decade, the city needs to deliver more than 36,750 homes, as well as 20,000 affordable homes before 2027. In September, a review into the Council’s policy towards PBSA found that the recent substantial increase in student numbers had not been matched by the requisite increase in the amount of managed student accommodation in the city.
This new development provides a mix of residential tenures, with a variety of unit types and sizes, responding directly to the housing needs of Chesser and in turn the city of Edinburgh. The site is only five minutes’ walk from Slateford train station which will give residents direct access to Edinburgh city centre and Glasgow.
The development contains a collection of listed structures and buildings which were originally an agricultural market established in the early twentieth century. These have deteriorated over the years and now require significant investment. Through discussion with the Council and Historic Environment Scotland, the development retains and refurbishes the most important elements around a publicly accessible ‘Heritage Square’.
The development maximises sustainability credentials, incorporating air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels, and is targeting a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. Watkin Jones is in discussions with a local registered provider to procure and operate the affordable housing post completion.
Iain Smith, Planning Director at Watkin Jones, commented:
“Securing approval from Scottish Ministers for this landmark regeneration project in Chesser is another step in addressing the city’s housing shortage. Following the Scottish Government’s declaration of a national housing emergency in 2024, our new development helps to address Edinburgh’s housing needs across several tenures by delivering high-quality homes in a highly accessible location.
“We are not only relieving pressure on the city’s housing market but also contributing to a more sustainable city. Importantly, the development will also protect the most important elements of historic buildings for future generations and ensure the public has access to Heritage Square for years to come.”
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