What's new about this way of living?

Before now, when you thought of a city, you thought of crowded streets, parking problems, traffic jams, queues, noise and fumes. Exciting places, but stressful too. The Waterfront Edinburgh project could be about to change all that. By creating a city area that's more like a town, with plenty of greenery and community buildings, living in the city will soon mean simpler, stress-free lifestyles for the 20,000 that are expected to live, work and play in Waterfront Edinburgh.

How will the project work?

Over the next fifteen years, architects, planners and community developers will work together to transform 346 acres of industrial wasteland into 6,500 homes, two shopping centres, a marina, a primary school and college, and parkland. Trams will link to the area to Edinburgh's city centre (which is only two miles away).

What will this mean for Edinburgh?

Edinburgh already offers a busy and traditional city, with many historic buildings and tourist attractions. The Waterfront project will help to keep Edinburgh up-to-date and bring more people closer to Scotland's capital city. Fifteen per cent of the housing will be affordable, so that low-income families will be able to buy or rent homes in the area. It will also help to strengthen the city's economy - good news for the UK's fastest growing city after London.

So, will this mean healthier cities?

Edinburgh's Waterfront is just one of the many projects that are regenerating UK towns and cities. The Waterfront's success could mean that other cities soon follow, creating areas that offer people a new kind of city living, with all the benefits and none of the stress, noise and pollution of crowded centres. Can Edinburgh show us the way towards healthier cities? Let's hope so.

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