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This seaside town near Edinburgh is getting a £1.3 billion glow-up

More than 800 new homes will be built as part of Granton Waterfront

Annie McNamee
Written by
Annie McNamee
Contributor, Time Out London and UK
A generated image of the new Granton waterfront development
Image: City of Edinburgh Council
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After months of waiting, the sun is finally out in the UK (right in time for Glasto!). If, like many of us, at the first sight of sun you feel an uncontrollable urge to down tools and head to the nearest body of water, you might be interested to know that a seaside village just outside of Edinburgh is getting a massive makeover. 

The development, which is getting a £1.3 billion facelift courtesy of Edinburgh city council and local construction company Cruden Homes, will see more than 800 brand new homes built on the Granton Waterfront. Better yet, all of these houses will be carbon neutral, and at least 35 percent will be affordable. 

There’s also space for a primary school, a ‘low carbon heat network’, shops and other commercial buildings to be built. At the centre of it all will be the former Granton gas-holder which is being transformed into a public park. Public transport will link the town with the rest of the Scottish capital. It’ll be a very modern town. 

Fraser Lynes, the managing director of Cruden Homes, described the project as ‘a fresh approach to urban regeneration.’ He continued that, ‘the delivery of 847 much needed, high quality and sustainable new homes across all tenures will make an important contribution to alleviating the well documented housing emergency.’

Cammy Day, leader of the council, also voiced excitement about the development, describing it as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a 20-minute neighbourhood completely from scratch which includes affordable net zero homes, shops, cultural, leisure and education facilities all close by.’

The town is currently still in its initial phase of development, with primary plans being submitted for permission earlier this week. It could be a little while before it becomes a reality, but no doubt when it does it will have been worth the wait.

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