Goodstone Living and contractor McAleer & Rushe have topped out at Dockside, the ‘next generation’ build-to-rent residential scheme in Leith, Edinburgh, delivering 373 new homes.

The ceremony - which marks the highest point of construction - welcomed over 50 guests, including Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Business and Fair Work.

Dockside is a 2.5 acre waterside development project on Leith’s Albert Docks that will deliver 373 new sustainable rental homes, including family and 25% affordable housing dwellings, as well as one acre of public realm space for the local community. The homes will be distributed across four buildings, ranging from 10 to 14 storeys, which will feature resident amenities such as a rooftop lounge and dining area, a fitness centre, and co-working spaces.

Construction of the scheme commenced in March 2023 and residents are expected to move into the first building from summer 2025.

Together, Goodstone and McAleer & Rushe have so far created 53 new jobs through the project, of which approximately 42% were filled by local people, as well as six apprenticeships. An additional 16 community projects have been created, supporting 272 local residents, and 46 hours of skills training have been provided.

This ceremony represents a significant milestone for Goodstone Living, which manages the development on behalf of the Northern Local Government Pension Scheme, including Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Yorkshire pension funds.

Lee Hawkins, Construction Director at Goodstone Living, commented: “The topping out of Dockside is an important milestone for this Goodstone project and symbolises the continued realisation of our vision at both a corporate and portfolio level.

“We are committed to creating long term value in the communities in which we operate, through the delivery of high-quality and sustainable housing, as well as a significant investment in social value initiatives for the local community. Our Dockside project is set to become one of Edinburgh’s most sustainable housing developments with a forecast reduction in carbon of over 30% for embodied carbon and over 50% for operational carbon vs. our established benchmarks.”

Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Business and Fair Work, commented: “Edinburgh is the heartbeat of the Scottish economy, with the availability of private and social housing for local communities being its bedrock. Increasing supply and bringing new stock to market across a range of tenures is critical to addressing the housing emergency and ensuring the city retains its reputation as one of the UK and Europe’s most desirable places to live and invest in.”

Paul Marlow, M&R Contracts Director at McAleer & Rushe, commented: “It’s a proud moment to mark the topping out of Dockside in Edinburgh, a key milestone in delivering an outstanding scheme which will provide much needed homes, jobs and public realm space in Leith.

“We are especially proud to be delivering Dockside in a way that has a lasting positive impact on the local community, reflecting our shared commitment with Goodstone to drive social value and lead from the front of sustainable development. Collectively, we are setting a new standard in the Scottish Build to Rent market, and there’s no doubt the development will be a magnificent addition to the city’s historic Docklands.”