New MoU plots Edinburgh’s £2bn west-side resi story
The Drum Property Group-led development consortium West Town Edinburgh Ltd and Edinburgh council have agreed a joint approach for the development of a £2 billion 20-minute neighbourhood on a 205-acre site to the west of the city.
A memorandum of understanding between the two parties was announced at the recent UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF) in Leeds. The MoU sets out how they will work to prepare a strategy for the development which will enable the sustainable expansion of Edinburgh.
The agreement was announced by Cammy Day, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council and Graeme Bone, group managing director of Drum Property Group.
“Edinburgh is quickly becoming a trailblazer for the type of affordable, sustainable homes our residents need and this overlooked land at West Town could pave the way for thousands more,” Cammy Day said.
The 205-acre West Town site is located between Ingliston Park and Ride and the Gogar Roundabout is said to be one of the most strategically important development areas in Scotland. The area is identified in the City of Edinburgh Council’s City Plan 2030 as having the potential to become a vibrant, high-density city extension with a capacity for 7,000 homes, along with the commercial and community facilities required for a 20-minute neighbourhood.
The proposals for West Town also align with the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4, which was approved in February. The Edinburgh Tram route runs directly through the site, and a new station will be built to ensure the entire development has access to the service.
The consortium hopes to make a start on site next year with the first phase ready for occupation from early 2026.
“This agreement is a major step forward in realising the ambition we share with the council for the area and for the city, further strengthening the long-term collaborative process that is set to deliver a positive and high-quality transformation of the west of Edinburgh,” Bone said.
