More, from gavin Corbett:
know many local people have had a close interest in the council's Housing and Economy Committee discussion on the "India Quay" site at Fountainbridge this week. Unfortunately, because the committee paper had commercially sensitive stuff like site values in it, the discussion had to be in private.
However, below I have summarised the outcome of the committee today, with the commercially sensitive bits omitted of course.
Over the last few months there's been a lot of hard work with officers on ensuring that the recommendations for the development were informed by the community ambitions for the site. In addition, my Green colleagues on the Housing and Economy Committee today put forward an amendment, which was accepted almost in entirety. So the description below is the paper as passed with the Green amendment.
On the housing site (known, alluringly, as W1-W4, closest to Viewforth) the design in the much-lauded masterplan remains (although there will be some changes to the detailed consent) but the operating model changes from the previous EDI proposal of commercial build-to-rent. Instead the council will lead the development of a mixed tenure scheme of over 400 homes, with 40% affordable rent; 60% market homes for sale. The number of socially-rented homes has doubled from that of the EDI scheme. The Green amendment calls for further increases in social housing to be looked at; and for ways of ensuring that the homes for sale remain occupied as people’s only and principal home.
On the site closest to Dundee Street (known, seductively as E2) the agreement is that this is office/workspace led (with my preferred focus on supporting smaller business/social enterprise growth) but with some complementary development to pool risk a bit - either housing or hotel. The Green amendment argued that it should be housing by default but that was the only bit not accepted so it remains open as to whether it is housing or hotel. The Green amendment also said that the possibility of E2 being council owned and developed in the long term should be retained.
On the site up towards the canal (known, tantalisingly, as E1) that is going to Finance Committee next week as a proposal to give greater coherence to developments elsewhere on Fountainbridge.
On district heating, that is noted as a key part of the site ambition with a further report to come on progress as well as linking up to adjacent sites, like those owned by Vastint or Moda.
On Boroughmuir High School a feasibility study is currently being carried out into providing expansion space along Dundee Street in the direct of Gibson Terrace.
Finally, the committee also agreed to get ahead with site preparation works this year. For sites W1-W4 and E2, the work is planned to start on actual construction in 2020. The aim is to complete all development by 2025.
I'm committed to India Quay being a development that defies the norm of so much high density inner urban development. We have a good masterplan. We have an active and imaginative community. I think we now have a clearer delivery focus too.
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