The site is being considered for a new block of 19 council homes suitable for wheelchairs users.

A consultation into the Anderson Bell + Christie-designed plan launched last year highlighted a shortage of affordable housing, like council housing, in Edinburgh. It revealed that for every council house that becomes available for relet there are an average of 192 households ‘bidding’ to get it.

The council said: “As well as the shortage of affordable housing there is an even greater shortage of adapted homes suitable for people with a disability or who need to use a wheelchair.

“The proposal to build new wheelchair-adapted council homes at Cowan’s Close is being done as part of a council target to build 20,000 new affordable homes in the city aimed at addressing some of that need.”

Currently used as a depot by council street cleansing staff, the closure of Cowan’s Close had been delayed by Covid-19, but some staff are due to move to the Seafield depot, where it is planned to convert a large area previously used for fire and rescue safety training operations, refurbish other parts of the depot and possibly add new unit.

Other Cowan’s Close staff could relocate to the Craigmillar depot where another new unit is being considered.