CALA Homes

Former Edinburgh high school redevelopment set to provide £45m economic boost



Homebuilder CALA Homes (East) is set to redevelop a former Edinburgh school building (pictured above) into 104 apartments.


The Grade B-listed former Boroughmuir High School — which was designed by architect John Alexander Carfrae and constructed between 1911 and 1914 — is to be restored into 87 contemporary one- to four-bedroom apartments and a further 17 mid-market rent apartments.

They will range from 767 sq ft to 1,701 sq ft and are expected to launch in early 2020.

CGI of internal apartment space
CGI of internal apartment space

The redevelopment will deliver an economic boost of over £45m to the local area, according to a report by independent experts Lichfields.

After assessing the economic impact of the plans laid out by CALA, the report stated that the renovation work would create 55 construction jobs and 50 supply chain jobs per year.

The local authority is estimated to receive an additional £290,000 through extra council tax revenues and there will be £757,000 allocated as part of S75 developer contributions to improve schools, leisure facilities and infrastructure. 

“We’re committed to developing communities rather than simply building new homes,” said Philip Hogg, sales and marketing director at CALA Homes (East).

Exterior
Exterior

“Given the sensitive nature of this refurbishment project, we have carefully selected specialist subcontractors, some of which are local, who bring extensive experience and expertise to this development. 

“We are proud that our work can bring benefits for both people that choose to live on our development and also to the wider Bruntsfield community.”

Operational benefits from the work include an estimated £570,000 spent by buyers making their house ‘feel like a home’, with another £1.75m expected to be spent in local shops.



Leave a comment