The proposed redevelopment will act as a catalyst for the overall regeneration of Seafield and see the delivery of up to 220 much needed new homes, including affordable housing, on a brownfield site currently used as car showrooms.

The application for Planning Permission in Principle (PPiP) has been designed to meet the aspiration of the City of Edinburgh Council for the delivery of sustainable new residential development on brownfield sites within the city.

The Seafield area is currently dominated by industrial and car retail operations and the existing Local Development Plan envisages alternative uses, such as residential, to be acceptable in the area.

The council’s recently published Proposed City Plan 2030 also sets out a long-term vision for this part of the city as a substantial new urban residential quarter. Manse and Smart said their proposals present an ideal opportunity for the early realisation of this vision.

A public consultation event was held in February 2021 and feedback from this has been incorporated into the emerging proposals and a series of positive pre-application meetings have been held with council planning, highways, flood, environmental and landscape officials.

It is expected that, subject to successful determination of the application, redevelopment of the property could begin in 2023 following the relocation of the car showrooms to new purpose-built facilities.

Colin MacPherson from Manse said: “We are delighted to be bringing forward this planning application for Seafield. It will serve to act as a much-needed catalyst, meeting council aspirations for the overall regeneration of the area and its desire for residential development on brownfield sites to meet the city’s housing needs.”