It opened in 1916 as a basic grass strip and later became a key military base during both world wars, accommodating Supermarine Spitfires.
And as air traffic boomed it was where everyone from The Beatles to Marlene Dietrich landed when they arrived in Edinburgh.
Now the historic 12/30 runway at Edinburgh Airport – which has been disused since 2018 – is to enter its next chapter as a key solution to the housing emergency in Scotland’s capital.
Measuring 1190m, the strip of tarmac is part of a site known as Elements Edinburgh and is set to be transformed into a vibrant new community with 3000 homes, a school, shops and offices.
Initially just a basic landing strip known as Turnhouse Aerodrome, the runway evolved into the main gateway for passengers until the current 2556m runway – known as 06/24 – was constructed in 1977 with a new terminal alongside.
In recent years the old runway has been used for airport VIP car parking, but now a fresh transformation is set to take place.
Crosswind Developments is the team behind the proposed development that will transform the runway site into a new community encompassing 3,000 homes and 50,000 sqm commercial space, which it is estimated will generate more than 4,000 jobs.
The Elements Edinburgh site will be a “A sustainable community that individuals and businesses are proud to call home, which prioritises people, inspires innovation, and nurtures nature to build a better future for all.”
With a housing crisis now declared Scotland-wide, Crosswind has heralded its development as a new model for housebuilding and placemaking which can help to address the shortage of homes in Scotland’s capital city.
John Watson, chief executive of Crosswind Developments, said: “Elements Edinburgh is a world-class regeneration development, transforming a disused brownfield site into a thriving community. It is a place where people can live, work, and relax in a modern, sustainable and inclusive environment.”
The 72-acre brownfield site is adjacent to the International Business Gateway site and the proposed West Town Edinburgh development, for which a planning application was submitted earlier this month. It will comprise a mixture of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes designed to support an inclusive, inter-generational community.
The ‘car-lite’ neighbourhood will be served by a two-stream primary school and created alongside a new green urban park with ready access to nearly 10km of designated walking and cycling routes.
Watson highlighted the development’s green credentials. “We have been climate conscious from the outset with 46% of the allocated land dedicated to green space, the development also promising 9.4km of designated walking and cycling routes.”
Crosswind submitted its planning application to the council in February 2024, setting out the detail of its £1bn investment in the site. The council’s planning committee is due to deliver its verdict on the plans later this year.
