Ocean Terminal BTR

IMAGINING A NEW, SUSTAINABLE AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY

The project proposes Phase 2 of the re-imaging of the failing retail centre, tailoring it’s footprint to respond to current retail trends, securing it’s future retention and operation as a key local amenity and introducing a residential-led, mixed-use neighbourhood.

The project will deliver circa 531 new homes, focused on residential amenity with secure, residential gardens and terraces. Together with the re-imagined retail centre, high-quality public realm spaces, activated by commercial ground floor activity, will create a safe, vibrant neighbourhood and new waterfront destination for the wider community, with a sense of place that resonates with the rich local history. Opening up access to the waterfront and The Royal Yacht Britannia via an extension to Ocean Drive, the project will re-connect the new neighbourhood back to Leith, in turn, offering direct access to the waterfront for all.

The submission marks the culmination of a 16 month preapplication consultation process with the City of Edinburgh Council and key project stakeholders, including 2 public consultation events. Led by Turley planning, the consultation process has ensured that the scheme has continually been informed by and tested against policy guidance and legislation, ensuring that long term sustainability and the principles of an exemplar 20 minute neighbourhood at the projects core. This is perhaps best demonstrated by the following policies within the CITY MOBILITY PLAN 2021-2030:

Policy Measure PLACE 2 – 20-Minute Neighbourhoods
Support the 20-minute neighbourhood concept to underpin local communities and reduce the need for longer distance journeys.

Policy Measure PLACE 3 – Dense Mixed-Use Development
Support the creation of dense mixed-use developments which support public transport and reduce the need for longer distance journeys.

“New developments have a key role to play in supporting the 20-minute neighbourhood concept. Dense mixed-use developments are the most sustainable ways to plan for our future and combat climate change. Our adopted Local Development Plan and emerging City Plan 2030 contain policies which require sustainable development that is supportive of the 20-minute neighbourhood concept.”

This application is for the second phase of the redevelopment, focused on the new, mixed-use residential element that allows the ocean terminal project to buck the current trend for whole scale demolition, instead, retaining and reconfiguring and reimagining the existing asset, creating an outward looking development, integrated into a wider, residential-led urban environment that embodies the rich history and character of Leith.

SUSTAINABILTY

The proposed development enables a wide range of sustainability measures in response to both local and international climate change priorities.

By ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of the inception of the project, the Applicant is committing to their own ESG and applying it in practice.

By committing to the existing building on site and improving it, the Applicant is avoiding huge, embodied carbon impacts associated with a new build to replace it.

By proposing a dense mixed-use development, the Applicant is delivering the most sustainable way to plan for our future and combat climate change as identified in the City Mobility Plan 2021.

Through the application of the aims and methodologies of accepted international sustainability accreditations, the Applicant is applying best practice to their assets of this nature, evidencing the seriousness with which they take their climate change obligations.

These measures will ensure that the proposed development will deliver significant local climate change benefits: both vastly improving the baseline at the existing site and contributing to a sustainable future for Edinburgh.