Geography

The western edge of Edinburgh is strategically located thanks to its heavy rail and tram links, excellent links to Scotland's trunk road network, and proximity to Edinburgh Airport. In addition to the Airport, the area is already home to Gogarburn (the global headquarters of Natwest Group); the Gyle Shopping Centre; and the Royal Highland Centre (home of the Royal Highland Show). Massive-scale investment is planned to deliver huge levels of additional commercial space and homes. 

Heriot-Watt University has its campus in West Edinburgh. The campus includes Heriot-Watt University Research Park, the city's largest research park. Major facilities based on Heriot-Watt's campus include Oriam - Scotland's sports performance centre - and the headquarters of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

Edinburgh Park is Edinburgh's principal business park, providing over one million square feet of office space. Multiple major companies are located in the park, including Aegon UK; BT; Business Stream; Diageo; Fujitsu; JP Morgan; Menzies Distribution; Miller Homes; and Sainsbury's Bank. The park benefits from superb transport links, with a dedicated rail station and tram halt. The developer Parabola has plans for a major southward expansion of the park that would deliver up to one million additional square feet of office space along with 1,800 new homes and amenities such as cafés, restaurants, a medical facility, a leisure suite, and a 200-seat conference centre.

West Town Edinburgh is a landmark development on over 80 hectares of land to the south of Edinburgh Airport. The development would deliver 7,000 new homes plus commercial and community space, all of it served by a dedicated tram halt.

Elements Edinburgh is another major development planned for 65 acres of brownfield land adjacent to Edinburgh Airport. It would deliver 700,000 square feet of office space (including a new Digital Quarter aimed at tech companies) and 2,400 homes (including 600 affordable homes), along with hotels and retail space. It is estimated that the development could create 6,400 new jobs in Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh International Business Village is a further commercial development proposed for land adjacent to the Royal Highland Centre that would deliver up to 150,000 square feet of office space.

The Garden District is a major proposed development by Murray Estates that would deliver over 6,000 homes across five new villages. Other residential developments planned for West Edinburgh include Cammo Villages (a development of 655 new homes - 164 of them affordable - by CALA Homes and David Wilson Homes) and West Craigs (a development of 250 new homes by Taylor Wimpey).