The committee voted in favour of a 338 apartment Build-to-Rent (BTR) scheme on a brownfield site at Ocean Drive on the edge of Albert Dock in Leith. The amended proposals comprise four blocks of seven to thirteen storeys with 25% 'tenure blind' affordable housing. A previous application for 245 units was approved by councillors in December 2018. The site is allocated for residential development in the Local Development Plan.
For elective renters, the Skyliner development is well located for transportation links around Edinburgh, including the anticipated phase II tram line. Provision for 71 on-site car parking spaces has also been made, including 6 accessible spaces, 12 electric charge points and 2 city car club spaces. Cycle parking provision has been increased to 708 spaces.
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Subject to conditions, the scheme will be funded by Legal & General, as the company's first Build to Rent development in Edinburgh and its second in Scotland. Build to Rent is an emerging, fast-growing market in the United Kingdom offering high quality and well-managed homes with ancillary services for elective renters. Legal & General is a major investor within the Build to Rent sector with 15 schemes, delivering over 5,000 homes, currently in operation or development across the UK.
S1 Developments, an Edinburgh family-owned developer who owns the site, will deliver the development for Legal & General. Scarlett Land and Development has been representing Legal & General and working with S1 Developments in the formation of the proposals. It is estimated that the scheme will be completed in 2022.
Luke McClelland, Project Manager at S1 Developments, said: "I'm delighted with the decision taken today by councillors. As an Edinburgh-based family company, we are thrilled to see this exciting project given the green light and look forward to breathing new life into a long-neglected area of Leith.
"A key element of the scheme is delivery of a new public boardwalk, served by established cycle routes and the new tram connection, which will provide the local area with a fantastic new amenity space.
"We look forward to getting these proposals underway and to continue working with council officials and the local community to deliver them."
Dan Batteron, Head of Build to Rent at Legal & General, said: "Skyliner is another great example of Legal & General investing in a location with significant urban regeneration potential and delivering much needed city centre homes. With Edinburgh predicted to continue to see notable population growth, we are pleased that our plans to deliver this scheme have been approved by Edinburgh City Council. In light of today's decision, we can now move forward to deliver these 338 new homes, which will provide flexibility and security to elective renters."
