Edinburgh gives go-ahead for pilot of net-zero homes at Granton waterfront

A ground-breaking net-zero housing development has been given the go-ahead as part of the £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration project.

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The Granton D1 project, approved by city planners, is the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) pilot and will see the construction of 75 net-zero carbon homes and three retail units.

Much of the construction will be carried out off-site in a factory, reducing the overall time it takes to build the homes. And the flats will include zero-emissions heating, helping to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the city’s 2030 net-zero target.

The Granton D1 project will help provide a blueprint for future net-zero developments.

The predicted performance of the flats over the first year will be analysed and validated by Edinburgh Napier University and the data used to refine the design of future net-zero homes.

The EHD project aims to deliver 1,000 affordable net zero carbon homes across the six council areas included in the City Region Deal.

The council says the Granton D1 project, along with the 444-home Western Villages development which is also part of the Waterfront regeneration, will act as a blueprint for future sustainable development and help Scotland to transition towards a greener economy.

Housing convener Kate Campbell said: “Making homes more sustainable will help us to meet our net-zero targets, but the most important thing is that our tenants will benefit. With the cost of living rising sharply, making the running costs of homes more affordable will help tenants on low incomes, preventing fuel poverty.

“This pilot, and the learning we hope to take from it, is a really important step for us on our journey to making all of our housing stock more energy efficient, and better for tenants to live in.

“We have incredibly ambitious plans which form the bedrock of our housing strategy over the next ten years. There is a critical need for more affordable homes in Edinburgh and we are responding to that through our commitment to deliver 20,000 social and affordable homes by 2027.”

Housing vice-convener Mandy Watt said the Granton D1 development would provide affordable places to live, with over 60 per cent being for social rent.

She continued: “The development is part of the wider Granton Waterfront regeneration, which includes the creation of one of Europe’ s largest new coastal city parks. We hope to provide residents and visitors with the chance to reconnect with the city’s waterfront and take advantage of the new leisure and outdoor experiences that will be on offer – altogether fostering an environment that will benefit everyone’s health, community spirit and wellbeing.”

Construction of Granton D1 by CCG (Scotland) Ltd is expected to begin in Spring 2022.

The Granton Waterfront regeneration project also includes the refurbishment of the Granton Station building and the Granton Gasholder restoration project, which is currently lighting up the skyline in a joint project with Edinburgh College.

The wider proposals will bring over 3,000 additional homes and create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks linking Granton Harbour to Cramond and Lauriston Castle, reconnecting the city with its waterfront and providing opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy spectacular views across the Forth.

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