The new houses were built through the innovative National Housing Trust (NHT) scheme, which forms part of a wider commitment from the Scottish Government to deliver 50,000 affordable and high-quality homes by 2021. The scheme offers aspiring homeowners the opportunity to work toward owning their home after saving for a deposit.

Harbour Gateway is a development of 138 mid-market rent National Housing Trust homes developed by Forth Ports in partnership with Rettie & Co and Cruden Group.

Delivered in five phases between September 2018 and May 2019, the homes are owned by the Western Harbour NHT Limited Liability Partnership. This is a partnership between Forth Ports, Scottish Futures Trust Investments Limited and City of Edinburgh Council.

Speaking after meeting some of the new residents, Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Our vision is that everyone in Scotland lives in high-quality sustainable homes that they can afford and that meets their needs. We are on target to meet our ambitious aim of at least 50,000 affordable homes by 2021, and we are working closely with the public and private sectors to create innovative financing models to increase housing supply.

“These new homes are a fantastic example of how this ground-breaking initiative and partnership working is helping to create a strong community and sense of place at Edinburgh’s Waterfront.”

Tenant Elliot Nettleship, who moved into his flat in May, said: “The property is great, and I really look forward to getting to know the rest of the community and seeing how the area develops over the next few years. For me, I honestly don’t think I will get a better chance to own my own property, given the savings scheme that comes along with the development.”

Kevin Reid, chief executive of Cruden Group, said: “We are extremely proud of the role we have played in not only designing, constructing and part-funding the gateway to Western Harbour, but in setting the standard for the wider development and cementing our relationship with the local community with the creation of jobs and homes. Hart Builders have an impressive track record in delivering award-winning construction projects in the area, with many more developments under construction. We will continue to play an important role by working with partners to deliver much-needed housing, regenerating derelict land and delivering a substantial economic boost to benefit the local community.”

Matthew Benson, director in development services at Rettie & Co, said: “Harbour Gateway sets the standard for the collaborative way in which public and private sector financing deals can deliver high-quality homes for residents. It is also notable that the project team has introduced a number of key innovations for residents, including the trialling of deposit-free rents and the development of an app which enables residents to achieve enhanced credit ratings from paying rents.”

Carole Cran, chief financial officer at Forth Ports, said: “We welcome the Minister here today as we reach this first important milestone for Western Harbour. Our vision for the Western Harbour development is to transform an area of empty reclaimed land into a vibrant waterfront community which will deliver much needed new homes and can act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Edinburgh’s waterfront.”