Stead's Place Proposals

Stead's Place Proposals Proposals for a mixed-use development providing affordable homes, innovative postgraduate accommodation incorporating a hotel, and community & retail space

New Tenants Unveiled for Drum’s Refurbished ‘Red Sandstone’ Building on Leith Walk, Edinburgh.One of Edinburgh’s most fa...
17/10/2022

New Tenants Unveiled for Drum’s Refurbished ‘Red Sandstone’ Building on Leith Walk, Edinburgh.

One of Edinburgh’s most famous streets is set to be significantly revitalised by an exciting range of independent retail businesses which are due to be opening their doors during the next few months.

Drum Property Group has unveiled a host of new tenants for its refurbished ‘Red Sandstone’ building which extends from 106 to 154 Leith Walk.

Following a major redevelopment project the distinctive two-storey building, first completed in 1933 in the Scottish Art Deco style, now provides flexible space for up to 10 ground-floor retail units, together with a range of open-plan first-floor business suites overlooking the foot of Leith Walk.

New retail tenants include Hobz Bakery, Cornelius Wines, vintage clothing store Rhinestone Cowboys, Chorrito Sauce Company and Design Eat Repeat, a design store and gallery space. They join Leith Depot, an established bar, restaurant and music venue which has been based at the location since 2015 and has recently signed a new lease expanding the venue and extending its stay at the retail parade.

Known simply as ‘The Red Sandstone’, the building forms an iconic gateway to Drum’s £50 million transformation of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, which will bring 148 new homes to the rear of the development linking Leith Walk to Pilrig Park and beyond.

Graeme Bone, Drum Group’s Managing Director, is excited by the widespread level of interest in the Red Sandstone - both in the retail units and in the office suites above. He said: “The Red Sandstone, as a distinctive entry point for our new development, will provide both a new focus and destination for the foot of Leith Walk. And with more tenant and business announcements to be made shortly, the eclectic mix of occupiers attracted to the building will bring something a little different to the city centre, continuing the rich tradition of diversity and independence which makes this area such an exciting destination in which to live, work and visit.”

Hobz, which means ‘bread’ in Maltese, was established in early 2021 by Matt Mallia, who began selling his bakery produce at the Leith Walk Police Box and at Leith Arches, and quickly established a devoted customer base. Matt said: “I immediately felt welcomed to the Leith area, and quickly began looking for a ‘brick and mortar’ shop in Leith. The Red Sandstone soon emerged as the top contender in my search for a permanent home for Hobz and we’re so glad to be able to launch in an area with so many other artisan producers.”

James Wrobel, owner of Cornelius Beer and Wine added: “For almost two decades, Cornelius gained a reputation as one of Edinburgh’s very best off-licenses, with a very wide range of drinks that manage to be both affordable and slightly outside the mainstream. We are very excited to now be opening on Leith Walk, one of Edinburgh’s most historic and important thoroughfares, with both a thriving local community and a lot of commuter traffic.”

Leith Depot has been based in the Red Sandstone since 2015 and is now set to be expanded and improved as part of the building’s refurbishment. Owner Julie Carty said: “Everyone at Leith Depot is looking forward to an exciting and prosperous future for all who will reside in the Red Sandstone Building at Steads Place.”

The Chorrito Sauce company specialises in producing small-batch, handmade hot sauces in a range of exotic flavours – including Chipotle, pineapple and garlic and Carolina Reaper honey and Bourbon. Design Eat Repeat is an ever-changing space celebrating creativity with a shop that showcases leading independent British design brands, together with gallery space for emerging designers.

For more information on The Red Sandstone and its mix of retail and office spaces, visit: www.theredsandstone.com
or contact office agents Culverwell on 0131 243 9617.

For more information on Drum Property Group’s Stead’s Place site, visit: www.steads-place.com

Stead's Place Construction Update – July 2022Construction on the long-awaited redevelopment of the Stead’s Place site is...
07/07/2022

Stead's Place Construction Update – July 2022

Construction on the long-awaited redevelopment of the Stead’s Place site is starting in July.

Drum Property Group’s ambitious proposals for Stead’s Place were approved by the City of Edinburgh Council in 2021, heralding a major regeneration of the 2.9-acre site bringing much-needed investment to this important part of Edinburgh.

Drum has cleared the Stead’s Place site to the rear and has contracted Metnor Construction Ltd to build the first phase of 110 high-quality build-to-rent apartments.

For information updates on the construction programme and more, visit: www.steads-place.com

25/03/2022

News Update – March 2022

Ground Survey and Demolition Works.

Drum Property Group is now starting a full refurbishment programme of the red sandstone building on Leith Walk, having commenced survey and demolition works to the rear of the development site at Stead’s Place in October 2021.

The initial works on Stead’s Place are likely to last until the end of April, prior to construction starting late summer 2022. The site is now closed to all vehicular traffic - apart from required site traffic and the delivery of demolition and construction plant. As a result, the site has now been fenced off for both security and health & safety purposes and will remain so until the demolition and construction works are complete. The current schedule of works is as follows:

Steads Place
• March to mid-April 2022: completion of the breaking up and crushing of the existing ground floor slab
• April to July 2022: archaeological digs
• July 2022: enabling works for the main site
• September 2022: main construction works commence*

* Further details on the main construction programme will be communicated in the summer of 2022.

Red Sandstone Building
• Renovation to the red sandstone building has begun and will continue until August 2022.
• The contractor, Clark Contracts, has a compound set up for the duration of these works and the majority of the works for this building are internal.

-o0o-

We thank all residents and neighbours for their patience and cooperation as these essential works are completed. For any enquiries please contact [email protected]

Drum Property Group has now started ground survey and demolition works to the rear of the development site at Stead’s Pl...
06/10/2021

Drum Property Group has now started ground survey and demolition works to the rear of the development site at Stead’s Place on Leith Walk.

These initial works are likely to last until the end of November prior to construction starting in 2022. Whilst pedestrian and cycle access through the site between Leith Walk and Pilrig Park will always be maintained, the site is now closed to all vehicular traffic apart from required site traffic and the delivery of demolition and construction plant.

As a result, the site has now been fenced off for security and health and safety purposes and will remain so until the demolition and construction works are complete.

For any enquiries please contact - [email protected]

Drum Property Group’s Leith Walk Proposals Get Planning Green Light. 148 New Apartments and Refurbishment of Retail Buil...
02/06/2021

Drum Property Group’s Leith Walk Proposals Get Planning Green Light. 148 New Apartments and Refurbishment of Retail Building Set to Bring Much Needed Investment to Edinburgh City Centre.

Drum Property Group’s vision for the long-awaited redevelopment of a key development site on Leith Walk is to become a reality following the granting of planning consent.

Drum’s ambitious proposals for Stead’s Place, near the foot of Leith Walk, were approved by the City of Edinburgh Council on Wednesday (June 2), heralding a major regeneration of the 2.9-acre site and bringing much-needed investment and interest to this important part of the city centre.

The Stead’s Place site has been earmarked for development by the Council since 2008 and consists largely of an aged industrial estate and office space, together with a two-storey sandstone building facing directly on to Leith Walk.

Drum will now replace the existing industrial units with 148 high-quality apartments, including 38 affordable homes, as part of an attractive landscaped residential scheme linking to Pilrig Park and beyond. The sandstone building will be retained and refurbished and made available for commercial occupation, providing a vibrant local retail and business frontage onto Leith Walk.

The planning consent is the culmination of four years of research, planning and local community engagement by Drum since the company first purchased the site in 2017. The current proposal follows a comprehensive six-month consultation programme with the local residential and business community, with almost three-quarters of those consulted either supportive or neutral about the revised plans.

Welcoming the planning approval, Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum said: “Drum has worked hard to ensure our current proposals are aligned with the objectives and plans of local community groups. We listened carefully to their views, enabling us to draw on the positive characteristics of the surrounding area to create a real sense of place that features a mix of private and affordable housing with a refurbished, vibrant and dynamic retail frontage facing Leith Walk.

"Our proposals will replace old and tired industrial, office and retail space with new, more flexible, higher quality accommodation for people to live, work, shop, eat, drink and to be entertained in - as well as opening up a safe and landscaped thoroughfare connecting Leith Walk to Pilrig Park. We believe we have responded directly to the objectives and vision the community has for the site. Our proposals now offer the optimum solution for all parties, providing a refurbished retail and office parade combined with a new community of housing to the rear, set in landscaped grounds, enhancing the area’s distinctive cultural feel and identity.”

Drum is now committed to ensuring the shop frontages on to Leith Walk retain the current individual style and size, reflecting and supporting the current local small trader units at the site whilst refurbishing the office suites for rent on the first floor in a revamped business centre offering.

Mr Bone added: “By retaining and refurbishing the red sandstone buildings facing on to Leith Walk, we are also contributing to the wider regeneration of the local area, providing investment to create an attractive and distinctive destination and focal point which is needed now, more than ever, as the local area recovers from lockdown and the new tram works are progressed.

Drum are now looking forward to building on the positive and productive relationships established over recent years to deliver a new development that continues the rich tradition of diversity, independence and interest which makes Leith Walk such an exciting destination in which to live, work and visit.”

The planning consent follows a previous application submitted by Drum to the City of Edinburgh in 2018.

Drum Submits New Planning Application for Leith Walk SiteDrum Property Group has submitted a new planning application to...
18/12/2020

Drum Submits New Planning Application for Leith Walk Site

Drum Property Group has submitted a new planning application to the City of Edinburgh Council for the redevelopment of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk, Edinburgh.

The site has been earmarked for development by the Council since 2008 and consists largely of an aged industrial estate and office space, together with a two-storey sandstone building facing directly on to Leith Walk.

Drum’s revised proposals will replace the existing industrial units with 146 high-quality apartments as part of an attractive landscaped residential scheme linking to Pilrig Park and beyond. The sandstone building on Leith Walk will be retained and refurbished and made available for commercial occupation.

The new proposal follows a successful six-month consultation programme for the revised plans, including two major online events as well as direct feedback sessions with local groups and residents. Almost three-quarters of those consulted either supported or were neutral about Drum’s revised plans, with more than 80% saying that the site should now be developed.

Welcoming the new planning application, Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum, said: “This new planning application represents a culmination of more than three-and-a-half years of intense planning, consultation and hard work since Drum first purchased the site in 2017.

“Our proposals will now bring an added dimension to Leith Walk and the wider area, transforming what is currently an inhospitable industrial site by creating an attractive, open and accessible homes-led community for residents and visitors alike. This provides a comfortable living environment, away from the busy Leith Walk and linked through accessible and landscaped walkways and cycle routes to Pilrig Park and the rest of the city.

“By retaining and refurbishing the red sandstone buildings facing on to Leith Walk, we are also contributing to the wider regeneration of the local area, providing investment to create an attractive and distinctive destination and focal point which is needed now, more than ever.

“We are pleased that our designs have been well-received by the local community throughout an extensive and positive consultation programme, and now look forward to progressing the application with the City of Edinburgh Council.”

Drum’s planning application is for 146 high-quality apartments with the majority being build-for-rent and 36 being earmarked for affordable housing in line with Council policy. Building heights have been reduced to four and five storeys following feedback from the consultation process.

Significant green space and access routes through the site open up a vibrant and attractive streetscape, linking the two residential buildings with the sandstone building overlooking Leith Walk. The red sandstone building will be refurbished and the individual commercial units and offices will reflect the distinctive and independent feel of the local area.

Mr Bone added: “Our revised proposals - maintaining the red sandstone building, incorporating sympathetic design for the residential quarter to the rear of the site, and creating a much-improved access linking Leith Walk with Pilrig Park - will continue the traditions of vibrancy and independence which makes Leith Walk such an exciting destination in which to live, work and visit.”

The new planning submission follows a previous application submitted by Drum to the City of Edinburgh in 2018. For more information on the revised proposals, visit www.steads-place.com

Proposed Development of Stead’s Place, Edinburgh.Online Exhibition Live from 12 noon to 8 pm, Thursday 5th November 2020...
05/11/2020

Proposed Development of Stead’s Place, Edinburgh.

Online Exhibition Live from 12 noon to 8 pm,
Thursday 5th November 2020

WWW.STEADS-PLACE.COM

Drum (Steads Place) Ltd and CAMVO 123 Ltd has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the City of Edinburgh Council for the redevelopment of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk. An initial online exhibition and consultation event took place in July 2020. We received a significant amount of feedback from the consultation and many thanks to everyone who viewed the exhibition and took time to send us their views, questions and opinions.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, we are currently unable to present our development proposals at a public consultation event. As an alternative, and in line with Scottish Government guidance on pre-application consultations during the Covid-19 emergency period, we are pleased to confirm that a second follow-up consultation event will be launched online on Thursday November 5th.

Our interactive exhibition will allow you to view updated proposals for the Stead’s Place site and email any questions you may have to our design team – as well as submitting formal feedback online.

The interactive exhibition will be live on this website from 12 noon on November 5th, with members of our design team available to respond to any questions received by email until 8 pm. If you would like to make comments on the proposals after viewing the exhibition, you will have until Thursday November 19th to complete and return an online feedback questionnaire.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, we are currently unable to present our development proposals at a public consultation event. As an alternative, and in line with Scottish Government guidance on pre-application consultations during the Covid-19 emergency period, we are pleased to confirm that a second follow-up consultation event will be launched online on Thursday, November 5th..

Proposed Development of Stead’s Place, Edinburgh.Online Exhibition Live from 12 noon to 8 pm Thursday 30th July 2020.Dea...
21/07/2020

Proposed Development of Stead’s Place, Edinburgh.

Online Exhibition Live from 12 noon to 8 pm Thursday 30th July 2020.

Deadline for Feedback Return - Thursday 13th August.

Drum (Steads Place) Ltd and CAMVO 123 Ltd has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice to the City of Edinburgh Council for the redevelopment of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk.

Because of the current Covid-19 restrictions, we are unable to present our development proposals for the site at a public consultation event to seek the views of the local and wider community. So, in line with Scottish Government guidance on pre-application consultations during the Covid-19 emergency period, we are pleased to present an initial online exhibition event which is being launched on Thursday 30th July.

Our interactive exhibition will allow you to view the new proposals for Stead’s Place, email any questions you may have to our design team and submit formal feedback online.

The interactive exhibition will be live on our website from 12 noon on July 30th with members of our design team available to respond by email to any questions you may have between 12 noon and 8 pm.

If you would like to make comments on the proposals after viewing the exhibition, you will have until Thursday, August 13th to complete and return an online feedback questionnaire.

WWW.STEADS-PLACE.COM

Drum Submit New Proposal of Planning Application Notice for Leith Walk SiteDrum Property Group has submitted a Proposal ...
27/03/2020

Drum Submit New Proposal of Planning Application Notice
for Leith Walk Site

Drum Property Group has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the City of Edinburgh Council for the redevelopment of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk.

The PAN is submitted in advance of any future planning application and gives an outline intention of the developers plan for the site, prior to a period of public consultation.

The Stead’s Place site has been earmarked for development by the City of Edinburgh Council since 2008 and consists largely of an aged industrial estate and office space, together with a two-storey sandstone building facing directly on to Leith Walk.

As part of the proposed redevelopment, the sandstone building will be retained and refurbished and made available for a range of commercial uses. The existing industrial units located directly behind Leith Walk are to be demolished and replaced with a new residential-led landscaped development linking to Pilrig Park and beyond.

Due to the current restrictions on social movement due to the coronavirus, Drum is currently seeking advice from both the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Government about future public consultation opportunities.

Welcoming this latest phase of the Stead’s Place redevelopment, Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum Property Group, said: “We remain 100% committed to investing in and improving the whole Stead’s Place site, and are looking forward to this next stage of planning consultation.

“We have listened to a range of concerns voiced during the previous application. As a result, we are proposing to retain and refurbish the two-storey sandstone building to ensure that, once again, it plays an important role in the future of the Leith Walk community. We have no intention of selling the building and will hold it as a long-term investment for the Group.

“The rest of the site will be designated to provide much needed local housing. This will open up what is currently an inhospitable industrial site by creating an accessible living environment linked through landscaped walkways and cycle routes to Pilrig Park and the rest of the city.”

Under current planning legislative requirements, a PAN is submitted for any proposed major development in advance of making a planning application to the council. The PAN notice gives an outline intention of the developer’s plans for the site, with further details to be made available and discussed during a period of public engagement. This allows time for stakeholder and public engagement to take place before proposals are finalised and planning permission is formally applied for.

Commenting on future plans for any public consultation on the Stead’s Place site, Mr Bone added: “Given the current restrictions on public movement and meetings caused by the coronavirus, we are seeking council and government guidance about the most effective way of delivering public consultation for the PAN over the coming months. This could include using a dedicated website and comprehensive online consultation methods if it is not possible to hold a drop-in exhibition or other public event.”

For more information on the Drum PAN for Stead’s Place, visit:

www.drumpropertygroup.com/development/steads-place

Drum Submits Revised Proposals for Leith Walk Planning Application  Drum Property Group has submitted revised design pro...
12/12/2018

Drum Submits Revised Proposals for Leith Walk Planning Application

Drum Property Group has submitted revised design proposals in support of its planning application to transform a major section of Leith Walk, Edinburgh.

The revised proposals follow detailed discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council’s planning team and the University of Edinburgh after the main planning application was submitted in August this year.

Drum’s £50 million proposal for the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk, is for a mixed-used scheme combining high quality, affordable housing for local people and post-graduate student accommodation - as well as a hotel, restaurant, café and retail units.

The most significant changes of the updated scheme include:

• the reduction of one storey to the elevation on Leith Walk with a reduction of 52 student rooms, which will keep the height of the building in line with the surrounding traditional tenement building

• a more defined and distinct line of sandstone retail units facing on to Leith Walk, including first-floor feature windows immediately above the ground floor units

• a dedicated three-metre wide cycle/pedestrian route connecting to Pilrig Park, with 110 cycle spaces.

Welcoming the revised design proposals, Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum, said: “This has been a very high profile planning application and one that, if approved, will have a significant and positive impact on Leith Walk, and how it connects with the rest of the city.

“As such, we have worked closely with the council’s planning team following the initial submission and now have a design which reflects their input and feedback from the local community.

“By reducing the height of the building facing on to Leith Walk and the number of student rooms, we have a design which is more sympathetic to the building heights and front-facing facades of the surrounding tenements in the immediate local area.

“The clear distinction at ground floor level of the sandstone retail units from the residential accommodation above is more in keeping with the rest of the tenement buildings on the street. And the rounded corner of the building with its first floor feature windows, offers the opportunity for eye-catching artwork in a highly visible location.

“We have also given a higher priority to pedestrians and cyclists including a well-defined, safe and well-lit path into Pilrig Park and beyond, as well as increased cycle parking on site.”

He added: “I am confident that our revised proposals will bring an added dimension to Leith Walk, opening up what is currently an inhospitable industrial site by creating a vibrant, contemporary and accessible community for residents and visitors alike.”

It is expected that the revised planning application will be discussed at the City of Edinburgh Council’s planning committee early in the New Year.

Drum’s Stead’s Place Planning Application – Key Facts

• The Stead’s Place site has been earmarked for development by the City of Edinburgh Council since 2008, and consists largely of an aged industrial estate and office space, together with a line of ailing retail frontages facing directly on to Leith Walk.

• The design vision is for a large mixed-use scheme which will integrate this important stretch of Leith Walk with almost three acres of potential development space linking to Pilrig Park and beyond.

• At its heart will be a contemporary 56-room hotel to be operated by the University of Edinburgh which will act as a vibrant focal point for the local community and students alike. The largest ground-floor use will be the hotel lobby and student reception, with the University of Edinburgh providing around 9,000 sf ft. of innovative and open leisure space for students, hotel guests and the wider community.

• Drum’s design proposals have been comprehensively revised following an extensive consultation programme with the Leith Walk community. Revised proposals reflect the distinctive, independent feel and needs of the local area - including redeveloping the row of red sandstone retail, restaurant and entertainment units facing directly on to Leith Walk, which will include a new live music venue.

• Previous tenants charity Sikh Sanjog and its affiliated community enterprise the Punjabi Junction Café have confirmed they will return to the new development on completion.

• Close by will be a well-designed homes quarter bringing together some 53 affordable one, two and three-bedroom housing units developed by Places for People.

• More than 2,000 letters of support for Drum’s development proposals have been lodged with the City of Edinburgh Council, in advance of the committee hearing in the New Year.

About Drum Property Group
Drum Property Group Ltd is an award-winning property development and investment business with a long track record of growth throughout the UK. www.drumpropertygroup.com

23/07/2018

In response to requests from existing tenants, we have ensured any vacant shop fronts are tidied up, made safe, and the graffiti around the site is cleaned. Our insurers require us to make the units secure given that they are likely to be vacant for some time.

We note there has been some suggestions that the shops present an opportunity for community based art and we are happy to consider any proposals the community may have.

Address

Stead's Place
Edinburgh

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