South East Wedge, CEC + Terry Farrell, Miller Homes, Development
South-East Wedge, Edinburgh
New Edinburgh Commmunity : Shawfair, Edinburgh
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South-East Wedge Edinburgh
Shawfair Developments: Miller Homes + Edinburgh Council + Midlothian Council
Description
The South East Wedge (SEW), a £500m proposed community south east of Edinburgh in the city’s green belt.
Included in Shawfair Local Plan + South East Edinburgh Local Plan.
The South-East Wedge is located south of Craigmillar, north-east of Danderhall and east of Petit France (Little France).
Further to the south is Edinburgh’s By-pass (Sheriffhall Roundabout) and to the East is a railway and goods yard; beyond is the A1 and Dalkeith.
The communities to the north are generally fairly run down.
Danderhall & Greendykes are to be expanded; Shawfair is to receive a new neighbourhood.
Little France Medipark:
Edinburgh University aim to consolidate medical, biomedical & veterinary
teaching on a campus here by Royal Infirmary, Little France. Some of the SEW land is former National Coal Board land. The Biomedical School is to be designed by Keppie Architects.
The South East Wedge was set for approval in 1998 by the Secretary of State for Scotland; the project seems to have been delayed and it has been reported that legal proceedings have affected CEC’s development of the project.
South-East Wedge: Background
Edinburgh’s Green Belt was set up in 1957. The former Lothian Regional Council in its Lothian Structure Plan 1994 aimed to release this green belt land to help attain its expansion strategy.
Edinburgh’s population is expanding, unlike Scotland’s, due to a strong economy. Also, typical Edinburgh household size is reducing, now with only an average of 2.1 persons per household in Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council, West Lothian, Midlothian & East Lothian apparently need to find land for about 70,000 new private sector houses by the year 2005: this is set out in the Structure Plan issued for consultation in 2003. See Blindwells page.
Edinburgh and Midlothian Councils propose to develop new communities in this finger of green belt land as well as create a Craigmillar Castle Country Park in the area between Craigmillar and the Inch. Niddrie & Craigmillar are currently being regenerated with large blocks demolished (many in early 2003) and mostly replaced by brightly-coloured suburban low-rise housing.
Councillor Bob Cairns was Chair of the South East Wedge Steering Committee & is the City of Edinburgh Councillor for Southside Ward.
Terry Farrell & Partners
South-East Wedge
South East Edinburgh Local Plan + Shawfair Local Plan
As noted on the Edinburgh News, the South-East Wedge plans in Terry Farrell & Partners new book are of interest to Edinburgh’s ability to deal with growth. Many have opposed any eating into the Green Belt but this area of plain farmland seems ripe for settlement. Sitting on the Cockburn Cases Committee I believe we have a responsibility to increase densities in the city, fully utilise brownfield sites and encourage density increase around transport nodes.
TFP’s plans propose just this and I repeat my request for architects to get involved in the proposed New Town for East Lothian. I have raised the issue with the RIAS, RFACS, CABE, UDAL, Urban Villages Forum and the Princes Foundation, but unless the developers and architects are of a quality such as Buredi and Terry Farrell & Partners, we will get dross. South East Wedge.
South East Wedge – 2005 Update
A joint venture company, Shawfair Developments Limited has been formed between Miller and Edinburgh and Midlothian Councils to deliver a new 450-acre town in the south east of Edinburgh.
Over a 15-year period, 4,800 houses and flats will be developed,
together with 204,000 sqm of business space, a local shopping centre, leisure/sports facilities and essential infrastructure including schools, road networks, sustainable urban drainage, utilities, ground stabilisation works and a new rail line and town centre station.
The development footprint will be over 450 acres, half of which will be on joint venture land and the remainder held by other landowners.
A major infrastructure cost-sharing basis has been evolved and the development will involve some of the most extensive Section 75 Agreements ever applied.
Miller’s expertise has been used to blend the planning objectives of the local authorities into a master plan framework which will ensure a commercially viable development. The masterplan was adopted following a Pubic Inquiry in 2004 and an Outline Planning application is being progressed with consent expected in 2005. The joint venture will procure infrastructure and sell land to various housebuilders, including Miller.
Shawfair / South East Wedge joint developers: Miller
South East Wedge architects – Terry Farrell & Partners
Comments / photos for the South East Wedge Edinburgh Architecture page welcome
South East Wedge Edinburgh Building : page