Seafield regeneration

We are working with

  • community councils
  • landowners
  • other stakeholders

to regenerate the Seafield area of Edinburgh.

The emerging City Plan for Edinburgh sets out the below principles for the regeneration:

  • A housing-led mixed use urban extension with a sense of community that can connect with neighbouring areas and the wider city.
  • Appropriate mass, scale, height and layout of new development, having views from the Firth of Forth. 
  • Ensure all homes are served by play facilities and have access to open space in line with the Council’s Open Space strategy.
  • Deliver a sustainable drainage systems solution to serve both the site and surrounding area.
  • Provision of sustainable travel infrastructure, including where possible use of existing rail infrastructure.

Sounding board

A sounding board has been formed to help guide the regeneration. 

View the action notes from the sounding board.

Local community engagement

7N Architects have been appointed to create a place brief and masterplan for Seafield. They will be working with us to prepare a plan for the future of the area. A three stage consultation is being carried out.

Stage 1 consultation

Stage 1 consultation was undertaken from 21 April to 8 June 2023, with two in-person events at the Ripple Project Café in Craigentinny, and Bellfield in Portobello and an online survey on the Council’s Consultation Hub. Across all methods, a total of approximately 430 responses were received. The 7N Architects masterplanning team have reviewed all of the responses received and will use them to shape the masterplan proposals. These will be developed for follow up in stage 2 consultation in early autumn, before developing the final masterplan proposal. 
 
The stage 1 consultation generated lots of useful and necessary conversations about Seafield as it is now, and how positive change should be managed and implemented in the future to best contribute to a network of local coastal communities. Seafield was recognised as a place that people seek out for access to the beach, for active travel opportunities along the promenade and as a quieter / wilder alternative to Portobello for walking. However, it is viewed as being in poor condition, not well connected to adjacent communities via active travel, lacking uses that could promote activity on the promenade and difficult to get to via public transport.

The majority of people prioritised affordability for housing development at Seafield and a desire to see a mix of housing types. Suggested improvements to the area include

  • more green space
  • facilities that allow people to actively use the water and spend time at Seafield
  • better active travel connections
  • better public transport connections
  • range of uses and facilities that can support the people who may live here in the future and attract people who choose to visit. 

View the full report on the stage 1 consultation.

Stage 2 engagement

A stage 2 online engagement took place from 18 June to 2 August 2024, with an in-person engagement session took place at the Portobello Town Hall on Saturday 22 June 2024. These informed the production of a draft Seafield Place Brief and draft Seafield Masterplan. The draft Seafield Place Brief and the draft Seafield Masterplan were approved for consultation by the Council's Planning Committee on 11 September 2024

View the draft Seafield Place brief.

View the draft Seafield masterplan.

Stage 3 consultation

Information on the stage 3 consultation will be published in due course.