The Garden District spread over 600 acres of greenbelt land near Edinburgh Airport will be built over the next 20 years.
The centerpiece of this 3500-home sustainable village would be the ‘Calyx’, a visitor attraction inspired by the Glasgow Garden Festival. Calyx, dubbed as ‘international garden showcase’, will be designed as a place where sustainable gardening methods for residents and visitors will be showcased. Residents will be encouraged to grow their own fruits and vegetables in gardens and allotments. A quarter of the homes among the 3,500 homes would be in the affordable category.
The community will also have a high school, two primaries, shops, a library, a medical center and a sports village. The sports village will feature a 25,000-seat stadium along with space for leisure facilities. It is proposed that it can also be the base for a national curling academy.
The Garden District community will be dependent on sustainable energy sources, with quick access to public transport and links to the new tramline.
The scheme is awaiting approval from Edinburgh City Council with work on the site expected to commence by 2014 and completed by 2030.
