Real estate developer and investment manager Goodstone Living appoints contractor McAleer & Rushe to build at least 338 apartments at Dockside – its next generation Build to Rent scheme in Leith, Edinburgh. Homes will be spread across four apartment blocks on the 2.5-acre site.
Goodstone Living acquired the project in 2022 and its specialist development team have re-engineered it into a fully-electrify scheme. Each apartment at Dockside will include an air source heat pump – future proofing the scheme for when the electricity supply grid is decarbonised.
“Goodstone and McAleer & Rushe share a commitment to making a positive impact in the communities we operate, and Dockside is clear evidence of that in action. There is synergy between our community and skills approach and Goodstone’s social value strategy, both of which are grounded in principles of socio-economic elevation, environmental protection and sustainability. We will be delivering the project in a way that has long-lasting benefits for residents and local people and we look forward to getting on site.”
Shane McCullagh, Contracts Director, McAleer & Rushe
Designed by 3DReid Architects, the waterfront scheme offers panoramic views and resident amenities including rooftop lounge and dining, co-working areas and a fitness centre. Dockside also includes 1.3 acres of new public realm space featuring pocket parks and a publicly accessible boardwalk created to connect the Albert Docks, the historic industrial Docklands in the North of Leith, with Ocean Terminal, a shopping, dining and leisure hub located adjacent to the development.
Plans are also in place to enable community groups and enterprises to use some of the available commercial space, with other benefits including access to learning, work experience, and training opportunities for young people and those from under-represented backgrounds. McAleer & Rushe – through its Community and Skills Action Plan – will complement the delivery of Goodstone Living’s social value strategy.
“Once completed, Dockside will help address the severe shortage of high-quality rental housing in Edinburgh sustainably – and deliver £2m worth of social value to the local economy, including 60 local jobs, during construction. We have focused on local sourcing of materials and alternatives to cement to achieve at least a 30% reduction in embodied carbon. A full redesign of the scheme, which will be fully electrified once operational, will enable us to cut operational carbon by more than 50%, meaning Dockside will be one of Scotland’s most sustainable residential developments.
“Construction starting at Dockside is also a milestone moment for Goodstone Living as it marks the start of delivery of our planned portfolio of rental communities across the UK. All of these schemes will have ESG, technical excellence, and operational management at their core to create both long-term value for our capital partners and next generation rental communities for our residents.”
Lee Hawkins, Construction Director, Goodstone Living
