Waterfront plan could be key to city homes supply
● First phase contracts set to be awarded despite fears over Covid-19
The £1.3 billion transformation of the Granton Waterfront is set to go ahead in a move that promises to provide an affordable homes bonanza for Edinburgh.
Key contracts for the first phase of the regeneration scheme are set to be approved tomorrow despite fears the Covid-19 crisis would derail major building projects across the country.
Some 3,500 home are already planned for the site – and now there are hopes that even more homes could be included in the development to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis.
Edinburgh’s Snp/labour administration has promised to build 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
But depute council leader Cammy Day has already said that target realistically needs to be increased. And today he suggested the Granton waterfront development could play a key role in that.
Cllr Day said: “The award of these contracts tomorrow is saying the Granton waterfront is going ahead.
“The plans might have to be revised as we go forward because we need to put even more impetus on delivering Granton waterfront now than before. If that includes looking at the city’s 20,000 homes target and increasing that to bring in more affordable homes, then that’s absolutely something we want to look at.
“That will need subsidy. We need the Scottish Government to be on side with that, and there needs to be permission for more borrowing. But if there is an increased subsidy from the Government we will build more homes.
“The industry is dying to get back to work. We’ve got land and if that means redrawing some of the plans for North Edinburgh to accommodate even more housing, then we should be up for that discussion.”
Launching an interim report by the city’s poverty commission last week, Cllr Day said the council was already looking at the possibility of buying up former Airbnb flats no longer seen as viable as shortterm lets to help house homeless people.
After the lockdown began the council managed to secure more than 200 bed spaces in hotels and private flats. Rough sleepers were taken off the street and given accommodation.
And families who had been living in B&b-style accommodation were moved into selfcontained homes.
The Granton waterfront development will see a large area of former industrial land transformed into a key growth site for the city.
The plans include new businesses, a cultural hub and new leisure, learning and employment opportunities.
At least 35 per cent of the 3,500 new homes currently planned are to be affordable.
Existing plans include giving Granton’s historic railway station a new lease of life as a creative industries hub.