Landmark council housing to replace eyesore city flats

Published on Wednesday 7 January 2009 09:25

THE first new council homes in Edinburgh in nearly two decades are set to be built on the site of eyesore tower blocks in Gracemount.

Around 125 homes will be built as part of the city's plans to kick-start a new generation of council house building.

City chiefs ultimately want to build 1100 new properties for sale or rent across Edinburgh and the plan took a big step forward today when a 1 million contract tender notice was issued to invite building professionals to start the project in Gracemount.

Tenants are currently being moved out of Soutra, Garvald and Fala Courts in Gracemount ahead of the blocks' expected demolition this year.

Construction work on the new homes on these sites is likely to begin in 2010.

There are also plans to build new council homes in Sighthill, Muirhouse and Pilton.

Funding for the 1100 homes is not currently in place but city leaders are confident the scheme is viable and will release full details of how they intend to pay for it in March.

Tom Anderson, a local community activist and former chairman of Liberton Community Council, said: "When people see these tower blocks coming down, then I think they will believe that things are starting to happen.

"The disappointing thing is that some of the new houses will be for sale; there is such a desperate need for affordable rented homes around here.

"There are still a few people in the blocks but I don't think they will be missed by that many folk."

The tower blocks were originally earmarked for demolition in 2005 as part of the city council's failed stock transfer scheme.

Through the council's current affordable housing policy, around 500 new homes are delivered each year but these are restricted to registered social landlords.

Councillor Paul Edie, the city's housing leader, said: "We have just invited bids for a 1m contract for architects, quantity surveyors, landscape architects, construction managers, and mechanical and structural engineers to see us through the whole process of creating the first new council homes in Edinburgh in a generation.

"There will be a mix of low-cost homes for sale, some for market rent and as many as possible for affordable renting."

City leaders are this week bidding for a share of 25m of Scottish Government money being made available to encourage local authorities to build new houses.

It is estimated12,000 new affordable homes will be needed in the Capital in the next ten years.