Forthside Sep 2007 News Update:
Largest Edinburgh planning application ever submitted by Forth Properties for 15msq ft £700m scheme masterplanned by RMJM: 9 'urban villages'. Elements incl. 16,000 homes; 1m sqft office space; community; leisure; retail; industrial.
Leith Docks Masterplan PR from RMJM Architects 060907:
RMJM designs largest planning application in Edinburgh’s history
RMJM’s masterplan for the regeneration of Leith Docks, the largest planning
application in Edinburgh’s history, was submitted by Forth Ports on Tuesday.
RMJM has been working with Forth Ports since 2003 to develop a framework for the
future regeneration of Leith Docks. This application covers some 144 hectares of
brownfield land and will lay the foundations for the next 30 years of development
within Edinburgh.
The regeneration will help to reposition Edinburgh as a waterfront city, allowing Leith
to reconnect to the waters edge and creating a destination for the city where people
can live, work and spend leisure time.
The application submitted on Tuesday outlines the framework for the transformation
of the 144 hectare brownfield site, which will comprise a mixture of residential,
community, leisure, retail, business and industrial developments. It will create an
exciting environment for the local community giving them new parks, public spaces
and areas for events and festivals. It includes 35 hectares of new open spaces, public
walkways and civic spaces and will incorporate an extensive network of footpaths and
cycle routes and sit at the heart of a new public transport interchange.
The masterplan is part of an ongoing process which shapes the future form of the
entire development, allowing careful consideration of the formation of streets,
spaces and buildings. This will ensure the creation of a mixed and balanced community, where relationships between forms have been fully considered.
View corridors divide the site into 9 new waterfront villages, and provide views back
to the key landmarks in the city centre, including Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill and
Arthurs Seat. This concept underpins the design framework for the site, with the
view corridors providing structure to the development. Each of the new villages will
be masterplanned individually or in pairs over a thirty year period, continuing the
sustained evolution of the area, and providing variety and variation.
The proposal has been developed in close consultation with the City of Edinburgh
Council planning department and will make a significant contribution to Edinburgh in a
number of ways. These include helping Edinburgh to meet its housing needs by
providing almost 16,000 new homes, 4000 of which are affordable, and making a
significant contribution to the local economy, both through the creation of new jobs,
additional council tax revenue and expansion of tourism opportunities within the area.
This brownfield development will give the people of Edinburgh the choice to live in a
vibrant waterside community, and will ensure that Leith maintains its maritime
heritage operating as a capital city port. This functioning port will include provision
for cruise ships, naval vessels and leisure craft and will reflect Edinburgh’s needs as a
modern, waterfront city.
Nathan Ward, Senior Urban Designer of RMJM said “The regeneration of Leith Docks
is a fantastic opportunity for RMJM to share our vision of creating a thriving new
urban area that will be a sustainable place to live, work and visit.
We have worked with the land owner, the local authority and the local community to
deliver the first stages in a regeneration process which promises to continue the
sustained evolution of Leith.”
Forth Ports Group Chief Executive, Charles Hammond, said: “The Leith Docks outline
planning application is one of the largest ever submitted in Scotland and will lay the
foundations for the next 30 years of development in Edinburgh. It will regenerate the
entire Leith Docks area and re-connect the waterfront with the City of Edinburgh. As
well as delivering further regeneration of the waterfront area, this project has real
potential to make a huge economic contribution to Edinburgh and Scotland.
Timeline
2003 Dialogue CEC-Forth Ports
2004 LDDF SPG (stage 1) consultation
LDDF SPG (stage 2) consultation
LDDF SPG (Draft) consultation
2005 LDDF SPG Approval
Preparation of OPA commenced
2006 Public Participation
2007 OPA for Leith Docks submitted
2008 First masterplan
2010+ Further masterplans
Key numbers
• 15,900 new homes, including 3,975 affordable homes
• 11,600 direct jobs for Edinburgh
• 10,100 direct construction jobs across the 30 year development period
• Reuse of 144 hectares of previously used or ‘brownfield’ land
• Creation of 35 hectares of new open spaces, public walkways and civic spaces
• Development of over 100,000 square metres of new office floor space, able to
accommodate anything from small businesses up to a major headquarters
development.
• £194 million per annum GVA growth for the Edinburgh economy
• £248 million per annum GVA growth for the Scottish economy
• Up to £28 million additional council tax revenue and a further £28 million
additional business tax revenue
• 2.7km of coastline opened up for public use.
Forth Ports
Forth Ports started regeneration activity at the waterfront in the 1980’s, leading in
the 1990’s to the opening of the Malmaison Hotel, the development of the Scottish
Executive building and Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. By 2001, Western Harbour
and Granton Harbour emerged as significant development sites and were granted
outline planning consent in 2002 and 2003 respectively.
To date, Forth Ports has invested over £100m in the regeneration process which
underlines the Company’s long-term commitment to the waterfront area of the city.
Images
The artists impressions enclosed represent the overall outline planning application
lodged for planning approval. As this application is a masterplan, all specific details
will be finalised within the future masterplans.
Western Harbour, Leith: Allied Mills © Adrian Welch
Leith Docks : Architecture
Leith Docks Master Plan
JUMP meeting with Forth Ports & RMJM Architects Jan 2007: Edinburgh Waterfront
Edinburgh Property
Leith Docks Flats : Platinum Point
Edinburgh : back to index
Leith Docks Regeneration