Have you been along the Turnhouse Road or Craigs Road recently? If you have, you will have seen the sudden burst of energy as home builders race to complete the new houses and flats that lie to either side of Turnhouse Road and along the western reaches of Craigs Road. The West Town – 205 acres for 7000 houses – lies to the East of the airport, on the site visible along the Glasgow Road. The Turnhouse area takes the total to 10,950 new homes. Then add the newly announced Maybury Quarter and you reach a total of 11,950 homes, families (so far).
West Craigs was once only called home by those who lived in the houses built in the late 1950s behind what is now the Casino at the Maybury, in West Craigs Avenue and West Craigs Crescent. There was a short stretch of housing on the main Turnhouse Road, a farmhouse part way along and cottages, and then Lennie Cottages beside Turnhouse Golf Course and the farm on the farside of that. Those of us with longer memories will recall the RAF base and housing towards the old airport and the oldest housing of all at the very end of the runway. And of course the commercial units at the quarry and around the end of the runway.
Now? Well, if you haven’t done so already, i would highly recommend an early evening walk along Turnhouse Road. Don’t go on a weekday before 4pm as the roads are just teeming with heavy trucks and builders’ vans.
The western expansion is vast. In this area alone new housing is transforming mixed use land that has lain in some neglect for a number of years. Those who move in, do so with the expectation of a 20 minute town. No more than 20 minutes by foot to transport hubs (tram and train – with bus still to be announced), education and GP level healthcare. The first of three new primary schools in the full area is due to open in August. No plans as yet appear to be in place for cafes, cinema, library, arts centre, shops, community buildings… church.
The building is not one style throughout. There is variety, there are parks, there are green spaces. Take a look at how it is shaping up. That variety makes it a lot more interesting than many of the new build areas around Edinburgh at present.
And if you do take a walk through the area, be sure to say hello to any new neighbours you might meet. A month ago there were hardly any. Today there are really quite a few homes complete and cars parked in the drives (ironically, for an area promoted as an ‘active town’).
