January 15 2024

A bolt-on urban neighbourhood on the periphery of Edinburgh has taken a step closer to reality with the submission of an application for planning in principle by 7N Architects.

West Town is a 7,000 home 20 Minute neighbourhood including 7,000 mixed-tenure homes on the western edge of the city by West Town Limited, a development consortium led by Drum Property Group.

More than just a dormitory the neighbourhood will include shops, workspace, schools, amenities, health services and community infrastructure all within walking or cycling distance and tram links on the doorstep.

Streets and spaces, developed with OPEN, prioritise active travel, vehicle sharing and mobility hubs housing cycle hire and centralised parcel delivery services. 

8 Comments

#1 Posted by Sven on 15 Jan 2024 at 14:14 PM

I think it very naive to plan suburban development without cars. Each house and flat will have at least one car. Being close to a tram or railway is irrelevant to this and no one will cycle to work in central Edinburgh from there. Plan for parking or the parking will be all along each road.

#2 Posted by TheFakeArchitect on 15 Jan 2024 at 16:34 PM

Oh Sven, no no no, you’re all wrong… No one will be silly enough to own a car here, everyone will just dance and skip their way to work or to visit friends. Even visits to the shops with their toddlers in tow and their groceries strapped to their back. And as you can see from the images, the weather will be just super all year round and not an issue worth bothering about any longer. Just look at all the successful projects around the City that have already completed zero, or virtually no-car developments. 100% successful and at no point affecting any neighbouring streets. But anyway, I’ve got to dash, I’m about to run along the side of the City Bypass as my new desk is ready for collection at Ikea. So long..

#3 Posted by SK on 15 Jan 2024 at 16:53 PM

Link to the PA would be great if anyone has?

#4 Posted by Blob on 15 Jan 2024 at 18:18 PM

It doesn't say anywhere that there won't be parking.

What are you both frothing about

#5 Posted by huh? on 16 Jan 2024 at 13:30 PM

Why is a town being built at the end of an airport runway?

Has no one though the entire project procurement process stopped to think that might be a bad idea?????

#6 Posted by Danny on 16 Jan 2024 at 14:25 PM

Huh?,

It's pretty much the only spare land around Edinburgh that isn't designated green belt that's why.

#7 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 16 Jan 2024 at 15:14 PM

#5 Don't worry, all the residents will have their earpods in, listening to Belle and Sebastian as they pedal their cargo-bike to that day's community picnic.

#8 Posted by Daniel on 18 Jan 2024 at 13:39 PM

Really good to see some actual ambition being put into an edge of settlement development, even if the drivers in this comments section aren't aware delivery services now exist for literally everything.

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