Edinburgh Council extends programme to target key areas for development

The aims are outlined in a report, which will be considered by councillors on the Economy Committee next week.

The programme hopes to prioritise housing for people on low to middle incomes and complement the existing strategy for affordable housing, by supporting the development of homes suitable for families earning low to middle incomes. It also intends to help workers who would not typically qualify for affordable housing but who may struggle to secure housing on the open market.

The programme also wants to create prime office space and unlock sites for office development in the city centre, as well as driving the delivery of additional light industrial space and creating additional creative and cultural space within the city.

Cllr Gavin Barrie, convener of the Economy Committee, said: “The council has been instrumental in helping to unlock the sites included the original Edinburgh 12. This is delivering over three million square feet of new commercial space and 1,700 new homes, creating many thousands of jobs.

“To ensure we have the people to meet the demand for jobs we must look to assist with the delivery of quality affordable housing for those who may struggle to find housing on the open market but are vital to performance of the economy. For example, is there anything that can be done to help nurses in the city whose shift patterns mean they need to live close to their place of work?”