£1bn estate of 3,000 homes on former Edinburgh Airport runway approved

Plans for a major estate on the site of a former Edinburgh Airport runway have been approved.

Crosswind Developments will oversee the construction of around 3,000 properties and tens of thousands of square metres of commercial space in West Edinburgh as part of a neighbourhood that developers promise will offer a “perfect blend of life, work, learning, and nature”.

Initial proposals for the development, named Elements Edinburgh, were submitted to the council in 2020, but were rejected by Scottish ministers.

The development includes a mixture of one, two, and three-bedroom flats and townhouses. Charlottestreetpartners

A revised planning application, originally lodged in February, has been approved by the council’s planning committee.

Crosswind Developments plans will build 3,005 flats, as well 50,000 square metres of commercial space, including 5,300 square metres of retail, restaurants, and leisure floorspace.

The development includes a mixture of one-, two-, and three-bedroom flats and townhouses and will also include a primary school with early years provision, open space and landscaping, and approximately 1,000 car parking spaces.

Around 1,000 properties would be affordable housing, with Crosswind exploring options with registered social landlords. It comes after a housing emergency was declared in the city in November 2023.

The plans are set to align closely with Edinburgh’s City Plan 2030. charlottestreetpartners via Supplied

Councillor Tim Jones said: “We desperately need more homes and you’re providing them. A lot of thought and hard work has gone into this application.”

Councillor Joanna Mowat added that the application “ticks all our boxes” and noted “it’s nice when the developers make it easy for us”.

John Watson, chief executive of Crosswind Developments, said: “After many years working with the local government and our neighbours, this approval marks a critical moment for West Edinburgh, and the city more widely, allowing us all to take the next step towards delivering new homes the city so desperately needs.

“The Elements site is central to the wider vision for West Edinburgh. Aside from delivering 3,000 new homes, the site will also provide key transport links, green space and a primary school which will help ensure these major housing developments also become a thriving community.

“Crosswind and other developers have been working for many years to get to this stage and it is essential that we continue to work in collaboration with each other – and a wide range of other private and public stakeholders – to deliver a decade and more of exciting development in the west of Edinburgh.

“Today’s decision marks the beginning of a new chapter which will see plans for the Elements site become a reality, transforming Edinburgh and creating new homes for its people.”

Watson added: “It’s at times like these when we can appreciate that we have supportive, world-class infrastructure investors backing us and to understand that their patience and dedication has been essential in allowing us to get to this stage.

“Without the right inward investors supporting Scotland, projects of this scale cannot move forward.””Without the right inward investors supporting Scotland, projects of this scale cannot move forward.”