September 10 2021

A major brownfield build in the Edinburgh suburb of Chesser is set to transform the area around New Mart Road into an urban quarter.

Watkin Jones Group with Manson Architects envisage a build to rent led development that includes affordable housing and student accommodation on land to the rear of the Corn Exchange concert venue, recently acquired by Academy Music Group.

Development centres on a collection of listed and unlisted structures formerly associated with a cattle mart and more recently in use as a football and bowling venue.

Centred on a new public square suitable for events the car-free plans seek to retain a 'significant proportion' of the former livestock shed frames and will include a series of more intimate walled gardens and residential courtyards linked by pends, footpaths and a tree-lined boulevard.

Iain Smith, planning director for Watkin Jones, said: “Maintaining the strong heritage of the site is a feature of the development and our intention is to retain the character of the buildings where we can, ensuring their long-term viable future, with the creation of some fantastic public squares, each with their own distinct identity."

A proposal of application notice has already been filed with the City of Edinburgh Council with completion estimated by 2025.

3 Comments

#1 Posted by Roysters on 10 Sep 2021 at 19:35 PM

Have been playing football at World Of Football for nearly 20 years. Would be very sad to see it go. Not many other indoor football pitches around Edinburgh to let you play all year round and at various times of day. Mind you, the city is a bit bereft of student accommodation, so fair play. ????

#2 Posted by CM on 11 Sep 2021 at 19:03 PM

World of Football? How vile, I thought we got all that working-class muck out of Edinburgh long ago. The sterilisation of the city in pursuit of greater profit must continue apace.

#3 Posted by TheFakeArchitect on 15 Sep 2021 at 12:38 PM

Is anything safe in Edinburgh now? Will it have anything to offer apart from student housing, build to rent accommodation and artisan coffee shops in the future? A real shame to see World of Football go.

Post your comments