Key Points

• Edinburgh has approved plans for four blocks of waterfront flats at Leith Docks, part of a larger mixed-use scheme on Forth Ports land.
• The development is set to include more than 240 flats, plus retail space alongside office and commercial areas.
• The site is within the Port of Leith and has been described as a regeneration project for land previously used for industrial port activities.
• Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with completion due in late 2027 or early 2028.
• The wider Harbour 31 area has been linked with a long-running regeneration push for Leith Docks.

Leith (Edinburgh Daily)- Planners have approved a waterfront development linked to Forth Ports land at the Port of uk/local/leith/">Leith, involving four blocks of flats and associated commercial space. The consent covers The Dry Dock at Harbour 31, a mixed-use scheme designed to bring residential and business activity onto former industrial land. The project is being presented as part of the continuing transformation of the waterfront area.

How many homes are planned?

The approved development is expected to deliver more than 240 flats, alongside retail units and office and commercial space. The proposal sits within a broader regeneration framework for Harbour 31 and the Port of Leith, where port land is being adapted for new uses. The wider Leith Docks regeneration has been described as a major development for the city.

Why does the project matter?

The scheme adds more housing to an area where waterfront regeneration has been under discussion for years. Forth Ports says the project will regenerate land used for industrial port activities and create a more varied local environment for businesses and residents. The development also strengthens the commercial case for the wider Harbour 31 site by combining homes with retail and office space.

When will work start?

Forth Ports says construction is expected to begin in 2026, with completion likely in late 2027 or early 2028. That timeline means the scheme is still moving through the early phases of delivery even after planning consent has been secured. The project has already passed through the key approval stage needed before building can begin.

Who is behind the scheme?

Forth Ports is the landowner and developer behind the project. The company has been central to regeneration plans at Leith Docks and Harbour 31, including earlier planning submissions for the wider area. The City of Edinburgh Council is the authority that granted the latest consent.

Background to the plan

Forth Ports submitted earlier plans for Harbour 31 in 2024 as part of the wider regeneration of Leith Docks. Later reporting also linked the area to a much larger long-term redevelopment vision for the waterfront. The latest approval reflects another step in turning former port land into a mixed-use district with homes, businesses and supporting retail uses.

Prediction for residents

For local residents, the scheme is likely to increase housing supply in a waterfront area that is being reshaped around mixed-use development. It may also bring more foot traffic and demand for local services, especially if the retail and office elements are delivered on schedule. For the wider audience watching Edinburgh’s housing and regeneration plans, the project suggests that Leith Docks will continue to evolve as one of the city’s most active redevelopment zones.

What the approval means for Leith Docks

For people following Edinburgh property and regeneration news, the approval shows that large-scale waterfront redevelopment remains firmly on the city agenda. The combination of homes, retail and commercial space suggests the site is being planned as a working neighbourhood rather than a single-purpose housing block. That approach may help support longer-term investment in the Port of Leith area.