Aug 3

First Family Moves into Affordable Housing Development at West Craigs on MacGinaly Drive

The first tenants are moving into one of Scotland's largest affordable housing developments at West Craigs in Edinburgh, near the airport. This significant project, undertaken by Wheatley Group, includes mid-market rental properties now occupied by tenants of Lowther, a Wheatley Group subsidiary.

Wheatley Group's £80 million project will result in 425 new homes. Cruden Group is constructing 300 of these homes, with 168 designated for social rent and 132 for mid-market rent. Additionally, CCG Construction is building 125 homes, split between social and mid-market rentals.

James Ward, Managing Director of Lowther, expressed enthusiasm about the development: “It’s great to see tenants starting to move into West Craigs. These bright, modern, energy-efficient properties will become a key part of a fabulous new community for our tenants and families.”

The housing mix includes two, three, and four-bedroom houses, along with one, two, and three-bedroom flats. Nineteen of these homes are wheelchair accessible.

Marek Pieta, a photographer, moved into his new home at 1 MacGinaly Drive with his artist wife, Aneta, and their 21-year-old son, Jakub. Originally from Poland, Marek expressed relief after moving from their city-center flat: “It was really stressful. We applied for our new home with Lowther and were happy to move. Now we’re in the country in a lovely end-terrace house with a garden and we’re really happy.”

Steven Simpson, Managing Director of Cruden Group, highlighted the project's success: “The completion of the first homes is a huge milestone in this large-scale project, made all the more impressive by the range of innovative, energy-saving, and accessible features that will benefit a range of tenant needs."

The Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council have provided funding for this project, aiming to create a vibrant and sustainable new community in Scotland’s capital.

Wheatley Group, which owns and manages over 93,700 homes, has been recognized as the UK’s largest builder of social housing over the past decade.