By Ian McConnell
A “LONG-AWAITED” redevelopment of a key site in Edinburgh including the construction of 148 apartments will now become a reality, after planning permission was granted, developer Drum Property Group has declared.
Aberdeen-based Drum said yesterday that its proposals for Stead’s Place, near the foot of Leith Walk, had been approved by City of Edinburgh Council, “heralding a major regeneration of the 2.9-acre site and bringing much-needed investment and interest to this important part of the city centre”.
The Stead’s Place site has been earmarked for development by the council since 2008, Drum noted. It consists largely of an “aged industrial estate and office space”, together with a two-storey sandstone building facing directly on to Leith Walk, the developer added. Drum declared it would now replace the existing industrial units with 148 “high-quality apartments”, including 38 affordable homes, as “part of an attractive landscaped residential scheme linking to Pilrig Park and beyond”.
The sandstone building will be retained and refurbished, and made available for commercial occupation, providing what Drum describes as “a vibrant local retail and business frontage on to Leith Walk”.
Graeme Bone, group managing director of Drum, said: “Drum has worked hard to ensure our current proposals are aligned with the objectives and plans of local community groups. We listened carefully to their views, enabling us to draw on the positive characteristics of the surrounding area to create a real sense of place that features a mix of private and affordable housing with a refurbished, vibrant and dynamic retail frontage.”
Drum, which bought the site in 2017, said it was “now committed to ensuring the shop frontages on to Leith Walk retain the current individual style and size, reflecting and supporting the current local small trader units at the site while refurbishing the office suites for rent on the first floor in a revamped business centre offering”.
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