Meadowbank, Edinburgh
BwN Design Award
Award date: 19 April 2021
Location: Edinburgh
Project Type: Residential, mixed use
Applicant: City of Edinburgh Council
BwN Assessor: RaeburnFarquharBowen
Meadowbank is an ambitious, people-first redevelopment of brownfield land by the City of Edinburgh Council. The carbon neutral Masterplan is for a residential-led, mixed use development with 596 homes (35% minimum affordable), a small amount of retail and community facilities, including an Active Travel Hub, and potential GP surgery. It is a great example of how extensive community consultation can lead to a low-car development with a strong focus on creating space for people and nature in an urban environment.
High quality green infrastructure will be maximized across the site, with all of the rare, mature Wheatley Elm trees being retained and the space beneath these trees transformed from the current undulating (caused by root heave) asphalt footpath to a linear pocket park. Existing vegetation aligned with a disused railway line bounding the site will be retained and hedgerow trees, and native mixed species shrubs and hedging will strengthen this as a linear wildlife corridor.
A rich palette of new planting will help to emphasize the character of the spaces. Plants will be selected for their suitability for shade, sun, drought and waterlogging, fruiting and flowering as well as tolerance to pollution. Native and non-native species will provide an ecologically diverse habitat as well as structural diversity through trees, shrubs, herbaceous planting and ground flora. A strong theme has been developed for pollinator friendly planting, in particular to support habitats for bees and the rare butterfly population and to positively contribute to the city’s urban ecology.
GI features will be employed to manage rainwater throughout the landscape at surface level via swales and raingardens, playful spaces and pollinator-friendly planting. There is also a separate feasibility study is underway to explore the potential for Green Roofs across the site.
With excellent public transport links into the city centre and to surrounding neighbourhoods, this is a pedestrian/cycle priority, low-car scheme, promoting active travel. Space saved from reduced car parking will enable more room for walking and cycling, with improved pedestrian and cycling connectivity into/out of and across the site plus enhancements to support active travel choices, play features and street enhancements to support a people and place first approach.
This scheme represents what is possible when an extensive programme of engagement enables local priorities for an area to be identified and communicated to the design team so they can be worked into the masterplan. for the design team area. The community voice to at the heart of the proposals ensures the masterplan will deliver a green, vibrant and sustainable new community in Meadowbank.
