City of Edinburgh Council signed a multimillion contract with a Doncaster based community regeneration and housebuilding company, Keepmoat, to revamp North Sighthill.
The £35 million regeneration project will see 316 new houses and flats built on the grounds of what once was the Edinburgh’s West landmark – Sighthill high rise blocks. The three towers were demolished in September 2011 and the land has laid derelict till now. The construction work is due to start in February 2017 and expected to take three years to complete.
Mixed tenure affordable housing
This new regeneration scheme will comprise of 96 homes for social rent, 88 for mid market rent and 132 for sale. All of the new homes will be energy efficient and will offer their residents a variety of gardens and open spaces. They will be erected in compliance with the latest Scottish Building Regulations (‘Housing for varying needs and secure by design’) and be more adaptable to changing mobility needs of residents over their lifetime.
New homes will be available to first time buyers and existing homeowners with the Scottish Government’s Help to Buy Scheme, offering up to 15% of the purchase price of an affordable home.
Employment and training opportunities
The local area is going to benefit from a jobs boost as Keepmoat will deliver opportunities via a Community Engagement Plan, with focus on Employability & Training, Education & Outreach, Enterprise & Business, Funding & Development and Community Cohesion. At least one modern apprentice and six craft apprentice posts will be on offer, as well as employability programmes for 24 candidates for the duration of the contract.
Eamonn McGarvey, regional managing director for the Regeneration division at Keepmoat in Scotland, said: “Now that North Sighthill has been cleared of low demand high rise flats, our proposals shall create a development that Edinburgh can be proud of; benefiting from a cohesive, high quality public realm and seamless tenure that generates a sense of community and civic pride that helps to create jobs and improve the area’s social and economic prosperity and attractiveness.”
“This highly important new project is an exemplar of urban regeneration built to high environmental standards. It’s a prime opportunity to showcase exactly how Keepmoat as a business is perfectly placed to deliver major mixed use developments that offer a variety of homes for market sale, as well as private or social rent.”
“We are once again delighted to be working with the City of Edinburgh Council and supporting their vision of sustainable housing and neighbourhoods fit for the 21st century.
Sighthill development – a key part of council’s agenda
Housing leader for City of Edinburgh Council, Cllr Joan Griffiths said: “North Sighthill is one of the largest new housebuilding projects in Edinburgh, after the regeneration of Pennywell in the north which is well underway. This development is a key part of the council’s commitment, working with housing associations, to deliver 16,000 affordable and low cost homes and nearly £2 billion investment over the next ten years.”
He added: “This project is now part of a larger programme already delivering new affordable homes in Leith, Newhaven, Craigmillar, Pennywell, Gracemount and Chesser in one of the most ambitious Council-led housebuilding programmes in the UK.”
Council homes will be available to rent by spring 2019.
