In these challenging times, where house prices are on the rise and the housing supply continuously fails to meet the demand, Port of Leith Housing Association (POLHA) is on the way to deliver. Their areas of focus are Leith and North Edinburgh and the ambition is to provide affordable, high quality communities that are well connected, mixed and sustainable.
Responding to the housing shortage
Earlier in the year POLHA confirmed plans to build 850 new homes over the next five years, 370 more than originally anticipated. This significant boost in house building is made possible by increased funding from government and long term private funding. A total of £89 million is to be invested by POLHA to build new homes, with further £7m to improve the quality of the existing ones between 2015 and 2020.
Making Leith a better place to live
With the financial support from the City of Edinburgh Council, who provided Housing Association Grant worth over £6 million, POLHA has acquired land in Granton with the view to deliver mixed social and mid market housing. This 2.1 hectare plot on West Harbour Road will see 302 new affordable homes being built in the next five years.
Keith Anderson, chief executive at POLHA, said: “This is an important step towards making Leith an even better place for people to live, visit and do business. We’re excited to be working with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government to meet demand for good quality, affordable homes in North Edinburgh and to play a part in the ambitious regeneration plans for Granton Harbour.”
A spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council commented: “This significant new development at Granton Harbour is a great example of how the council and our housing association partners are delivering on the joint commitment to build 16,000 new affordable homes in Edinburgh over the next 10 years.”
“I can’t think of a better use for the site than providing much needed affordable housing for local people.”
Part of the Granton Harbour masterplan
The new development will form part of an ambitious masterplan to transform Granton Waterfront, once an area of gas works and industrial storage, into a new vibrant community with all the amenities. This £0.5 billion regeneration plan will bring 2,000 new homes to the area and will feature Edinburgh’s new marina as well as a healthcare centre, a retirement living complex, parks, shops, restaurants, offices, a conference centre and a hotel.
Kevin Fawcett from Granton Central Developments commented: “This proposed development will add further impetus to the regeneration of Granton Harbour which is soon to become Edinburgh’s new marina. The environment where homes are built is as important as the quality of the buildings and in both respects the Port of Leith Housing Association have the boxes ticked. This is very good news for Edinburgh.”
