The City of Edinburgh Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee today unanimously agreed a planning application for the first phase of the £1.3 billion regeneration project to transform Granton Waterfront.

Today’s decision gives the green light for 847 ‘net zero ready’ homes to be built in partnership with Cruden Homes on the city’s largest brownfield site. These warm, energy efficient homes will be a mixture of social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale catering for families and those who require wheelchair accessibility.

The new development will create attractive local living for residents by providing capacity for a new primary school and a low carbon heat network. There will also be commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure as well as attractive public and open space. This exciting first phase of regeneration in Granton Waterfront will be delivered from 2025 to 2032.

As part of the council’s strategy to address the city’s housing emergency 45% of the homes will be affordable.

The council’s regeneration plans are already well underway at Granton Waterfront with some early projects taking shape. Tenants are already moving into 75 new ‘net zero ready homes’ for social and mid-market rent at Granton Station View with over 400 ‘net zero ready’ homes for social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale at Western Villages due to become available next year. A further 143 ‘net zero ready’ social and mid-market rent homes at Silverlea are also due for completion in Summer 2026.

At the heart of this nationally significant development of Edinburgh’s coastline sits the Granton Gasholder now known as ‘Gas Holder 1’.

A new public park is almost complete within its frame and as the scaffolding has been removed following restoration, it is once again a spectacular focal point in the area. Another historic building, the former Granton Station, has been refurbished and it now has its own square.

Council leader Cammy Day said: “This is welcome news for Edinburgh as we can now continue our exciting plans to transform the north of the city into a thriving environmentally friendly new neighbourhood which people will want to call home, work in and visit. I’m really excited to see this milestone achieved, as we are one step closer to delivering a first phase of regeneration in Granton Waterfront.

“When putting the planning application together we consulted local people every step of the way including those living in established communities nearby as well as other interested groups. Today’s decision will allow us to bring together those we listened to in these communities with new residents. After declaring a housing emergency last year it is vital that much of the housing provided will be affordable. Using the latest advances in technology the homes will also be energy efficient keeping bills down for our tenants as well as helping the city to transition to net zero and meet our other climate goals.

“This £1.3bn project is the largest regeneration scheme of its kind in Scotland. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring communities together,  with affordable energy efficient housing to live well locally with access to shops, cultural, leisure and education and health facilities and job opportunities all nearby. We’ll also make sure Granton Waterfront has excellent active travel and public transport links to rest of the city and beyond as well as to the many established communities already in the area.”

Fraser Lynes, managing director of Cruden Homes, said: “This development represents a significant leap toward meeting Scotland’s growing demand for high-quality, energy-efficient housing of all tenures, and the planning outcome marks a major milestone for the project. In partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, our work at Granton Waterfront will deliver a diverse range of sustainable new homes designed to meet the community’s evolving needs. By pioneering innovative net-zero solutions, Granton Waterfront is set to become a model for future housing developments across Scotland.

“At Cruden, we’re proud of our long history of building more than just homes; we’re fostering vibrant communities built to endure and flourish, setting a new standard for housing that truly serves both people and the environment.”