The Royal Hospital, Edinburgh

The Royal Hospital development stands as a great example of successfully overcoming the challenges of delivering affordable housing in a highly constrained, historic city centre location.

Home Group Scotland’s commitment to sustainability, design excellence, and community focused solutions has resulted in a development that will make a significant contribution to meeting the housing needs of Edinburgh.

Following an agreement to fulfil the delivery of 31 affordable homes, the land was transferred the land to Home Group Scotland.

This development will deliver the first new build social rented housing in the area. It's part of the wider regeneration of the iconic Victorian buildings that once housed the former Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Set within the conservation area of Marchmont, the site boasts great views across the Meadows, one of the city's largest and most renowned inner-city parks.

Meeting the Section 75 obligation in an area with no prior social rented housing.

The Royal Hospital project faced numerous challenges. These included the highly constrained city centre site and the absence of new social rented accommodation within this area. 

Home Group Scotland worked alongside Downing, who acquired the site from the NHS. The task was to construct a mix of flat types to address the specific housing needs of the local community.

A further layer of complexity was introduced by the small footprint of the site, the proximity and varying height of neighbouring listed buildings, and the numerous planning constraints imposed due to the site’s location within a conservation area.

These factors made it essential to find a solution that could comply with conservation guidelines, and secure the necessary funding through affordable housing grants to deliver the project.

Home Group Scotland rose to the challenge, developing an innovative solution that addressed both the technical and design constraints of the project. All apartments in the development are insulated and have a modern, efficient heating and ventilation system. This operates without reliance on gas boilers and contributes to the project’s sustainability goals.

The development is designed to be car-free, with excellent public transport links. Both of Edinburgh’s main train stations are within walking distance, ensuring residents have easy access to the wider city and beyond. The site overlooks the Meadows, one of the city's largest parks. This provides pleasant walks and leisure facilities within walking distance.

These sustainable design measures and the central location make this development an important response to the city's urgent need for affordable housing. It's also a long-term investment in the environmental sustainability and quality of life for its future residents.

We are immensely proud of this project, as it represents the first new build social rented homes in the Marchmont area. This fulfils the housing emergency response declared by the City of Edinburgh Council in November 2023.

The Royal Hospital project is a great success story for Home Group Scotland, and we look forward to seeing its positive impact on the local community for years to come.