First new affordable homes in Edinburgh completed since lockdown

Edinburgh City Council has announced an affordable housing project in Craigmillar is now almost complete and tenants are moving in.

The new homes are part of a multi-million pound regeneration project in Craigmillar town centre.

The highly energy-efficient development at Craigmillar features 194 homes with an innovative Sustainable Urban Drainage System for surface water collection and extensive communal green space.

The homes also benefit from a network of footpaths and cycle connections to Craigmillar Park.

These properties will also test a number of elements of the “gold” building standard to help inform the council’s approach to net zero carbon developments.

Designed by Architects Anderson Bell Christie and constructed by CCG, the site combines 61 homes for social rent and 133 for mid-market rent.

The £24.6m investment at Craigmillar town centre is funded by the council with £3.2m  in grant funding from the Scottish Government.

The council has nearly 800 affordable homes under construction across the city with nearly 3,500 new homes in design development.

‘It’s fantastic to meet with the new residents and see what a difference these bright and modern homes are going to make to their lives,’ said Edinburgh’s depute housing, homelessness and fair work convener, Cllr Mandy Watt.

‘Making sure everyone has access to a safe, warm and affordable place to live has long been our priority and it’s going to be as important as ever to progress our plans to build 20,000 new homes as we move on from the pandemic. So being able to get construction underway, see these homes complete in Craigmillar and move new tenants in is a big milestone.

‘We’re also committed to pushing forward with a green recovery for the city and these homes, with their focus on low carbon and energy efficiency, are a perfect example of how we deliver a project which is great for residents and good for the local environment too.’

Photo Credit – Edinburgh City Council