The £2 billion project will deliver 7,000 new homes, including 2,500 affordable homes. The development will also feature a range of amenities, such as two schools, a hotel, and commercial, retail, and community facilities.
The site is well-connected, with a new tram stop and integrated bus services. Additionally, 27 acres of green space will be included in the development, providing ample opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The project is expected to significantly contribute to Edinburgh's housing supply and create a vibrant new community.
West Town Edinburgh Ltd was formed in April 2021 by Drum Property Group to progress development of the site. Welcoming the planning approval, Graeme Bone, Drum's Group Managing Director said: "This planning consent is the next significant milestone in our journey to realise the ambition we share with the Council, as agreed in the City Plan 2030, to deliver a major transformation of the west of Edinburgh.
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"We now have the once-in-a-generation opportunity to make West Town an exemplar, sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood on a par with the best new developments taking place anywhere across the UK and Europe.
"The amount of space on the site, combined with its superb location, allows for a natural extension of the city, providing 7,000 mixed-tenure homes and new jobs in a new 20-minute neighbourhood. West Town also has direct access to some of the best public transport in Scotland – the tram line travels through the site and there are integrated rail, cycle and road connections, creating a strategic gateway for the west of Edinburgh."
He added: "Drum has a proven track record of delivering high quality large-scale communities across Scotland and our ambition for the area matches that of the City of Edinburgh Council. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council to advance our shared vision to create a new, sustainable urban quarter for the city."
The phasing of development will be determined through the submission of a phasing framework, as required in CEC's proposed conditions. Once this phasing framework is agreed, West Town Edinburgh will submit detailed planning applications for each construction phase, subject to appropriate consultation and eventual CEC determination. Initial phases will be focused on the new tram stop, creating a town centre early in the development with homes, a new school and commercial, community and amenity spaces.
The West Town planning approval followed a successful 12-month consultation programme which included online and public consultation events and a programme of local stakeholder meetings.
