Lasswade Road Development

A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh in November 2023 due to significant pressures on the city’s housing market, including homelessness rates and housing costs.

Although we’ve already made substantial progress on our housing emergency plan, we’re currently in a critical situation that requires us to escalate our efforts to tackle homelessness.

We agreed in our budget in February to invest towards building and buying homes at scale to address the housing emergency - and purchasing the site at the former Northfield House Hotel on Lasswade Road is part of that package of measures.

Who will live there

While the purchase is subject to planning decisions, the site provides an opportunity to provide temporary housing for 100 households who may otherwise be sleeping rough, or housed in unsuitable accommodation like B&Bs.

Temporary housing is for people who have no permanent/secure accommodation and are waiting for a permanent home. You do not have to be living on the streets to be homeless.

Some examples of what being homeless might look like include someone who:

  • has separated from their partner and has nowhere to stay 
  • has been living with family or friends, but they have been asked to leave  
  • is unable to stay in their home because they are at risk of violence from someone they live with or used to live with
  • is forced to live apart from their family members because they do not have accommodation where you can live together
  • has been evicted by Court Order.    

The building will not be used to house people awaiting a decision on their asylum status – this is a matter managed by the Home Office, not the Council. 

Management of the building

The property will be managed and run by the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Service. The service has significant experience of managing this type of accommodation within communities.

There will be members of staff on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week 365 days a year.

Engagement with the local community

The building is subject to planning permission to change its use from student accommodation to temporary accommodation. If a change of use for the building is agreed we will engage with the community, including local community groups and with the Police. Information about engagement will be published on the website - please check back soon.

Further information