Elements Edinburgh

Lichfields has been advising Crosswind Developments Ltd on this project since 2018. The masterplan for this 30.4 hectare brownfield site has changed and evolved over that time and Lichfields has advised on planning matters every step of the way. At its heart is a Digital Quarter which will be a destination for established digital & technology businesses, growing companies and ambitious start-ups.  Housing will be provided in particular to support workers who will be working locally. Sustainability and achieving Net Zero Carbon targets are important to this project.

Lichfields has recently submitted a planning permission in principle application for the site, including an Environmental Impact Assessment and other supporting studies. Our planning advice has ranged from advice on influencing emerging local and national planning policy; to leading pre-application consultations with the City of Edinburgh Council; and to community engagement on the project. We prepared and executed a community engagement strategy early in the masterplan process to ensure maximum input from interested groups and stakeholders. For this we led three informal sessions for local interest groups and stakeholders including a design charrette. This is a Major application for which a proposal of Application Notice was prepared as well as formal statutory consultation for which we undertook two public events and prepared an online consultation website and questionnaire.  Presentations and Q&A sessions were also undertaken with interested community councils.

For this project Lichfields added value by ensuring that the City of Edinburgh Council’s emerging new Local Development Plan included recognition of the Crosswind Developments Ltd proposals. The site is currently allocated for airport related uses and the changing of this policy position will better support ambitions for the site.

Our strategic planning and masterplanning experience has helped shape the masterplan which has been developed by Corstorphine and Wright; and, our advice on Environmental Impact Assessment, Heritage Impact and our approach to early engagement with community groups and stakeholders has also added value.