Biomorphis worked with Save Leith Walk to facilitate a Community Planning Workshop aimed at developing an alternative, community-led vision for Stead’s Place and the 106–154 Leith Walk red sandstone building.
Project Overview
Biomorphis worked with Save Leith Walk to facilitate a Community Planning Workshop aimed at developing an alternative, community-led vision for Stead’s Place and the 106–154 Leith Walk red sandstone building. The project responded to growing concerns about development pressure along Leith Walk and the lack of meaningful local involvement in shaping future proposals.
Rather than presenting a fixed solution, the workshop created a structured framework where local voices could directly influence spatial strategies, priorities, and values.
Community Engagement & Process
The workshop brought together residents, local groups, and stakeholders from across Leith. First, participants shared lived experiences of the area and identified what works well today. Then, the discussion shifted towards gaps, risks, and long-term aspirations.
Crucially, the process encouraged collaboration rather than confrontation. As a result, ideas emerged collectively, grounded in local knowledge and everyday use of the place. This approach ensured that the outcomes reflected real community needs rather than abstract planning targets.
The Masterplan Proposals
The workshop generated three distinct masterplan scenarios, each exploring a different balance between density, public space, movement, and heritage.
While the approaches varied, all three proposals shared common principles:
- Stronger connections to Leith Walk and surrounding streets
- Protection and reuse of the existing red sandstone building
- New public and semi-public spaces designed for everyday use
- Human-scale development that respects Leith’s character
Together, the masterplans demonstrated that alternative futures were possible without sacrificing identity or community value.
Urban Values & Heritage
The proposals treated heritage as a resource rather than a constraint. Instead of clearing the site, the masterplans explored how existing structures could anchor new development and reinforce continuity along Leith Walk.
At the same time, the designs prioritised permeability, walkability, and social interaction. By doing so, they challenged car-led layouts and inward-looking blocks that often dominate speculative schemes.
Outcome & Impact
The Stead’s Place Masterplan provided the community with clear, visual alternatives that could be shared, debated, and used as advocacy tools. More importantly, it strengthened local confidence in engaging with planning processes.
This work showed how design-led community engagement can shift conversations from opposition to constructive dialogue. It also highlighted the value of architects acting as facilitators, translating collective ambitions into spatial strategies that are both realistic and inspiring.
Save Leith Walk – community action group
City of Edinburgh Council – Local Development Plan – City Plan 2030
Architecture & Design Scotland – community engagement
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