DOZENS of homes are set to be built on playing fields sold by Jewel & Esk College as part of a multi-million-pound redevelopment.
Family homes and affordable housing are included in the plans for the land beside the college campus at Milton Road East in Brunstane.
A total of 53 homes, including apartments, terraced houses and townhouses, are featured in the £10.5 million pla
ns submitted to the city council.
The playing fields on which they would be built have been sold by the college as part of a separate £57m redevelopment that will see two new centres purpose-built at Eskbank and Brunstane.
Sovereign House Developments said its scheme would deliver "much-needed" family and affordable housing in the Portobello area.
The firm is already building 96 flats on neighbouring land, which once housed a bowls arena owned by former world champion Richard Corsie.
That scheme includes 14 apartments for affordable housing, which have recently been signed over to Hillcrest Housing Association, while the latest plans earmark 12 flats for affordable rent.
To compensate for the loss of open space, Sovereign House will pay the council to transform facilities at nearby Joppa Quarry Park into playing fields.
Joint managing director Colin McLachlan said: "Our aim is to deliver a first-class residential development in east Edinburgh.
"Milton Road East is a superb location connected to the rest of the city by excellent road and bus links and in particular by Brunstane rail station.
"We also hope that our affordable housing will release some of the pressure on the local housing stock in east Edinburgh."
The plans include 24 flats for sale, alongside three-bedroom terraced houses and four-bedroom townhouses.
Outline planning permission has already been granted for a housing development of up to 70 homes, as part of Jewel & Esk's expansion programme.
Known as the e:volve project, the scheme is Scotland's largest college redevelopment. It will see a total of 885 new rooms created across the two new buildings, which will provide space and facilities for the college's 10,000 students and 450 employees.
The new Edinburgh campus will include a complete refit of the iconic Milton Road "ship" building.
Howard McKenzie, principal of Jewel & Esk College, today welcomed Sovereign House's plans.
"We are delighted that the development includes affordable and family-focused housing and that the funds raised through the sale of the land to Sovereign House have been re-invested in the college," he said.
Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Hawkins said there had been local objection to a housing development on the site.
But he said: "That battle was lost when outline planning permission was granted.
"So if we are going to have a development, these plans seem very reasonable, with family houses alongside flats and an element of social housing. We do require more houses."
The full article contains 483 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
