Work gets underway on 300 social and 'mid-market' rental homes in west Edinburgh

Wheatley Group said it was helping increase the supply of “much-needed affordable homes” as work gets underway on 300 properties on the edge of Edinburgh.

The firm’s chief executive, Steven Henderson, was joined by Edinburgh City Council housing convenor, councillor Jane Meagher, and others to view progress on the new homes Wheatley is building at West Craigs. The development - comprising 168 homes for social rent and 132 for mid-market rent - will be the biggest ever built by the housing, care and property-management group. The Wheatley properties form one element of the transformation of West Craigs which will see up to 1,200 new homes for private sale, two new public parks, a primary school and new shops.

Wheatley Group’s £52 million project includes £27.8m funding from Edinburgh City Council. The first phase of the homes should be ready by the end of 2024.

Alastair Murray, Wheatley Homes East chairman said: “This is Wheatley’s biggest-ever development and we’re grateful for the support of the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government in helping us increase the supply of much-needed affordable housing across Edinburgh. The homes include low-carbon features such as solar panels, high levels of insulation and energy-efficient boilers, as well as electric car charging points, which will help tenants with their bills and help us cut our carbon footprint. I’m sure our tenants will enjoy living here.”

The group’s homes will be a mix of two to four-bedroom houses, and one, two and three-bedroom flats, with 19 homes suitable for wheelchair users. The development will include 33 Livingwell homes to support older tenants to live independently, as well as 19 flats provided by Wheatley Care to support people with complex needs.

Meagher said: “Edinburgh’s council housing stock was devastated by the right to buy policy, meaning only 14 per cent of homes in our city today are social housing, compared to a Scottish average of 23 per cent. We desperately need to work on reversing this trend and I’m pleased to see the prioritising of good quality social housing and genuinely affordable new homes in West Craigs.”

Developer Cruden Building Scotland will be providing jobs and training opportunities for local people as part of the new-build contract.