Edinburgh Council has approved ambitious £100m plans to transform Meadowbank into one of Edinburgh’s greenest neighbourhoods
The masterplan for council-owned land at Meadowbank has been approved by members of the development management subcommittee.
Following the decision, the £100m project is expected to become the first development of its size in Edinburgh to promote the council’s net-zero carbon goals by creating a low-car, low-carbon community and energy efficient new homes.
The sustainable mixed-use development will also create jobs and a significant economic boost by regenerating a five-hectare area next to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre.
Space for a new GP surgery and community and commercial uses, the protection of existing trees and planting of saplings plus new rain gardens also feature in landscaping designs.
Around 600 modern energy-efficient homes – a minimum of 35% of which will be affordable – are also detailed in the planning application.
‘A truly low-carbon, low-car, energy efficient neighbourhood’
Councillor Neil Gardiner, planning convener, said: “As a planning authority, we need make sure we protect our city’s beautiful and historic built environment, while supporting our communities to become sustainable for twenty-first century living.
“We also need to adapt our city to meet the needs of a growing population, address the increasing impact of climate change and ensure growth is responsible.
“These designs for Meadowbank meet these needs with plans for a truly low-carbon, low-car, energy efficient neighbourhood, featuring new affordable homes.
“This is a really important site for the city and I’d like to thank everyone who took time to participate in the consultation process.”
Gardiner added: “The masterplan includes homes to meet different needs, including for families. One-third of the houses will be affordable, making a welcome contribution to the needs of the heroes who keep our city running every day.
“This masterplan, which has broad community support, offers a gold standard for new developments across the city for both the public and private sectors.”
‘An important site in Edinburgh’s City Centre’
Cathy Houston, project architect at Collective Architecture, added: “We are grateful for the time taken by members of the community to engage in the Meadowbank design processes.
“This is such an important site in Edinburgh’s City Centre and so it is wonderful to be at this stage with a multifaceted proposal which seeks to enrich the neighbourhood on many levels: ecologically, environmentally, socially and with a huge amount of care.
“The process undertaken with the community has ensured that the development sensitively integrates new housing, local amenities, greenspace and restored public routes east to west.”
