4.5 acres of brownfield land off Edinburgh’s Leith Walk is to be transformed by a £75m housing development billed as a ‘gated community without gates’.

Construction is already underway at the Engine Yard on 376 homes, complete with an on-site gym, which will occupy a long sliver of land which once played host to workshops and an engine room which powered the city’s cable-drawn trams.

Developer Places for People and Cooper Cromar architects will retain the B-listed depot buildings as part of the project, including tram sheds, a chimney and boundary wall, while delivering a mix of properties for sale and rent.

Colin Rae, group development director at Places for People, said: “As placemakers we are very proud that the end result will be a distinctive, sustainable, safe and accessible neighbourhood. Public spaces should not be lifeless and although only a small part of the site is visible from the main thoroughfare of Leith Walk, it opens up to gardens and shared spaces creating a unique living environment.”