Shawfair is the name of a new town planned to be built on the site of the former Monktonhall Colliery in the south-east wedge of Edinburgh.[1][2] The name is derived from a local farm steading of the same name. Although it is within the boundary of the city-bypass, it will not technically be a suburb of Edinburgh as it is outwith the city council boundary and instead will actually be wholly within the Midlothian council area.
In 2005 Midlothian Council, Edinburgh City Council and Miller Developments created a joint venture, Shawfair Developments Ltd, to work on the scheme. In 2009 Miller pulled out due to market conditions, putting the development in doubt.[3]
Shawfair railway station will be one of the new stations to be built on the reopened Waverley Line.[4]
The Minewater Project, an experimental scheme to provide geothermal energy was to be based in Shawfair.[5] However the business case was not economically viable.
In November 2010 plans for the settlement were put on hold and the joint venture between Edinburgh City Council and Midlothian Council was dissolved. [6]
In late 2007, near the planned site of Shawfair, construction work began on Shawfair Park,[7] a new business park for approximately 25,000 sq.m. of offices and ancillary uses next to the new Sherriffhall park and ride.