Tag: masterplan

Share Your Views on the Astley Ainslie Place Brief

Front Cover of the draft Astley Ainslie Place Brief, dated September 2026. Image is of a mature tree and grass, with low rise hospital buildings in the background. It has a green/sepia filter over it.

We are asking what your think of our new draft Place Brief for the existing hospital site, which was approved by Planning Committee on 9 September 2026 for consultation.

Our Consultation is now live until 11 November 2026.

The Astley Ainslie has been in hospital use for over 100 years. It was originally a convalescent hospital and at the forefront of medical rehabilitation in Scotland throughout its history with the natural landscape setting important to help recovery. You can find out more about Astley Ainslie Hospital’s history on the NHS website celebrating its centenary in 2023.

The NHS is planning to keep some services on the site including GPs and the SMART Centre but is selling the rest of the site.

City Plan 2030 identifies Astley Ainslie for housing-led mixed-use development. There will be new development on the site, but this will need to respect the mature landscape setting, create a sustainable place and keep its special character.

Astley Ainslee hospital buildings on a sunny day with a variety of trees and grass in the foreground.

Astley Ainslie is well-loved by the surrounding communities with the Astley Ainslie Community Trust working with local residents to produce a Local Place Plan for the site.

The Draft Place Brief brings together that community voice with an assessment of the site and the aspirations of the NHS. It puts forward a set of principles for the future development.

You can read the Astley Ainslie Draft Place Brief and give us your views on the Consultation Hub until 11 November 2026.

Come along and meet the team

There are also drop-in events where you can chat to planning officers on:

  • Monday 5 October 16:30-19:00 at Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road
  • Saturday 24 October 10:30-13:30 at Newington Library, 17-21 Fountainhall Road

The future of West Edinburgh

People living in and interested in the future of the west of Edinburgh can take part in three public consultations.

The City of Edinburgh Council is asking residents as well as those working and visiting the area how they think it could grow sustainably for future communities to be better connected, cleaner, greener and fairer for all.

There are three linked proposals documents which are open for comment:

These proposals could substantially develop the experience of living and moving around communities in the west of Edinburgh, helping the capital to shape future planning policy and become a net zero city.

To take part in these consultations, visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/west-edinburgh.

Towards West Edinburgh 2050 proposes how we could develop the area over the next 30 years. At this stage there are no detailed proposals but instead an overarching vision to be used as a starting point for discussion. This has been informed by the city’s current City Plan 2030 (used to guide physical development and planning applications) and City Mobility Plan (for transport infrastructure) and, as the document develops, it will be used to evolve these plans over time.

The West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan is a statutory consultation on development to the north of Gogarburn, extending from Eastfield Road in the west to Maybury junction in the east, with Edinburgh Airport and Turnhouse Road to the north. There are a range of new opportunities for housing in this area as set out in City Plan 2030. The aim is to create a new 20 minute neighbourhood with a range of facilities which people will need to live well locally such as schools and medical centres. Feedback will be used to finalise a masterplan which will go to the Planning Committee for approval. The masterplan will then guide future planning applications.

Travel connections for those living, working and visiting West Edinburgh need to be improved, and to support future growth the Capital’s local authority is working with West Lothian Council to look at public transport and active travel links in the area along the A8/A89 between Broxburn to Maybury. Known as Broxburn to Maybury Transport Improvements, this is a major transport improvement project. The project is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The plan is to have better connected communities with major employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities easily accessible. This will also make it easier for more people to make more journeys by bus or by cycling, walking or wheeling.