Plans for Edinburgh Social Bite homeless village to move to new seaside spot
Social bite has announced plans to move their Edinburgh village to a new waterfront location in Granton.
Social Bite, a charity and social business who are known for their commendable efforts to combat homelessness, has submitted a planning application to relocate their Edinburgh village to a more picturesque location north of West Shore Road on the Granton waterfront. If approved, the move is scheduled to go ahead in early 2025.
The relocation, made in consultation with their charity partner Cyrenians, will make sure up to 16 residents who have experienced homelessness will continue to enjoy a stable and supported communal way of living as well as having the bonus of beautiful scenery of The Forth Bridges across the water.
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The new location will revamp the communal area for villagers to cook, gather and relax. On top of that, the new location of Granton will see the phased introduction of seven new one-bedroom ‘Nest Houses’ which have all been improved and re-designed, following feedback from previous residents.
Social Bite and charity partner Cyrenians, have managed the village since its introduction in 2018 and they have worked closely to ensure all plans for the relocation go smoothly for current residents. The choice of Granton as the new location has been inspired by feedback from residents.
A resident survey concluded the new location has important amenities such as greenspace and local supermarkets to allow them to carry out day-to-day tasks, as well as being in the proximity of the lovely Granton seaside.
The move was prompted by the planned end of the current contract for the land, donated by Edinburgh City Council, with the current location forming part of phase one of the Granton Waterfront development plans.
The lease-term was originally for four years and later extended by two additional years. The prefabricated houses were designed in a way that they can be easily relocated, enabling the charity to make use of a ‘meanwhile site,’ which would otherwise have been unoccupied. This was a key part of Social Bite’s innovative approach.
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Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite, said: “The security and happiness of our residents always comes first, so we’ve worked with those living at the village and the Cyrenians to make sure they feel assured and have a chance to voice what they want and need from any move we make.
“The new site we’re entering an application for is a combination of all the best bits from our current position in Granton, with added greenspace, sea views and the introduction of some newly designed Nest Houses to meet our resident’s needs. The village is an important part of the North Edinburgh community and will continue to be a vibrant asset to that part of the city. We’re hopeful that our planning application is approved, and we can move forward quickly for the sake of the people who we provide accommodation for.”
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Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive of Cyrenians, said: “Edinburgh is facing an acute shortage of supported housing for people experiencing homelessness. We are absolutely committed to working with the local authority to secure a new site which will allow us to continue to offer relationship-based support that makes a lasting difference to people facing homelessness in Edinburgh.”
For more information on the Edinburgh Village visit their website here.