Proposal for 1200 homes in West Edinburgh submitted to council bosses

Around 1200 homes, a primary school, a neighbourhood centre and new roads and infrastructure are being proposed at Hatton Mains, just off Dalmahoy Road and the A71.

Dubbed Hatton Village, bosses insist the new settlement will boast “its own identity in terms of place and character” where “a sense of community can be fostered”.

And artist’s impressions included in upcoming public consultation documents show an emphasis on green spaces and rows of small, local shops.

But developers insisted the images are illustrative only – showing only ideas for how the village could look, based on similar projects elsewhere in Scotland.

A spokeswoman for Clarendon Planning & Development Ltd said: “[We] are hosting initial public consultation events on behalf of a local landowner in support of a proposed new village at Hatton Mains.

“The events are the first stage in the planning process and follow submission of a proposal of application notice to Edinburgh Council for a new village of approximately 1200 new homes, community and education facilities, a neighbourhood centre and parks.”

Community leaders previously raised concerns that the scheme was not included in the Local Development Plan (LDP), the council’s city-wide planning blueprint, and represented an unnecessary intrusion into the greenbelt.

They said they had received little communication from the consultants, and complained about a lack of concrete information regarding the plans.

In their public consultation documents, Clarendon insists the housing shortfall identified in the LDP provides a strong argument in support of its blueprints.

The firm argues that the new South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan (SESplan) indicates Edinburgh will need to identify land for a minimum of 2800 additional homes in the period from 2018 to 2030.

It continues: “As a new settlement, Hatton Village would be able to create its own identity in terms of place and character.

“Due to this it would be able to remain separate from Edinburgh and the surrounding towns whilst also providing much needed housing.

“The proposal will incorporate new infrastructure such as a new community/education facilities [and] green space as well as a local neighbourhood centre.

“These amenities will provide Hatton Village with its own identity as well as providing essential local and accessible services.”

Officials estimate the Capital still needs an extra 15,034 new homes by 2019, with more than 25,000 extra houses required by 2026.

The Hatton Village public consultation events will be held in the Cedar Room at Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, tomorrow and Thursday between 5.30pm and 9pm. A further event will take place at Ratho Community Centre next Monday between 4.40pm and 8pm.