New affordable residential flats have been approved in Leith.
The City of Edinburgh Council approved the application from the Port of Leith Housing Association (POLHA) this week for 35 flats with external courtyard changes, at Wellington Place.
POLHA have advised that the current intention is to deliver all 35 of the new homes as an approved affordable housing tenure for the elderly.
The senior development officer at POLHA, Kate Duckham, said: “Port of Leith Housing Association is proposing to develop 35 units to provide much needed amenity accommodation at Wellington Place, Leith, in addition to a communal lounge and guest room within the same scheme.
“A link from the lounge through to one of the Association’s existing properties at 133 Constitution Street is planned to enable the residents there to share the communal facilities.”
Another facility for the elderly already exists on the site, Porthaven Carehome, but it will be demolished to make way for the new building.
POLHA are yet to confirm the tenure type of the affordable homes, although they hope that it will be feasible to make all units available for social rent.
If it is not feasible to deliver all the homes for social rent, then it is anticipated that the remaining affordable homes will be delivered as midmarket rent.
The new homes will be a mix of one (25) and two (10) bedroom flats, with three wheelchair accessible units on the ground floor.
The chief planning officer at City of Edinburgh Council said: “The proposals comply with the development plan. The proposed uses are acceptable in this location.
“The development will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area, will have no detrimental impact on the setting of the listed building or archaeological remains, is of appropriate scale, form, materials and design and will have no detrimental impact on residential amenity or traffic and road safety.”
