Collaboration of the year – partnership

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Brought forward by the City of Edinburgh Council as an early project in the £1.5bn Granton Waterfront masterplan, the 444-home Western Villages development – which includes 193 homes for social rent, 195 at mid-market rent and 56 for sale – was delivered by CCG (Scotland) and an expert project team. The homes are constructed entirely from CCG’s offsite-manufactured closed panel timber system, which ensures consistent quality, minimises thermal bridges and enhances airtightness. All homes benefit from solar panels, with 2,800 installed across the site.

 

The partnership pioneered the use of a bespoke ‘heat farm’ with a combined air source heat pump system – one of the UK’s largest – to achieve near net-zero performance. Homes are up to Energy Performance Certificate Band A standards, with bills including standing charges from just £90 per month and no future retrofitting required. Beyond the build, the team delivered impressive social value: 15 new jobs, nine apprenticeships, 35 placements and £45,000 in local funding. 

 

Western Villages sets a new standard in climate-aligned development – driven by trust, innovation and purposeful collaboration to tackle housing, sustainability and social inclusion in tandem.

 

The judges said:

“A great project with an excellent multi-agency approach, great outline of social value and an innovative holistic approach to building new communities. An innovative approach to heating at scale”