Colinton Mains, Oxgangs Avenue c. 1960s

Category

Library Item

Item no

21929

Title

Colinton Mains, Oxgangs Avenue c. 1960s

Description

A three storey block of residential flats pictured against a cloudy sky. The central staircase of the block of flats is glazed. There is a low-rise building in front of the flats which has a walkway through it. Two small bare trees stand in the foreground.

Artist / maker

Hunter, A. L.

Date

1965

Size

17.5 x 24.7

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Oxgangs is a residential area situated in the south of Edinburgh, a short distance north of the Edinburgh bypass. Prior to mid 20th century housing developments the area was principally agricultural.
Before the building of public housing in Oxgangs in the early 1950s, the area consisted of several farms and a number of prefab houses. Prefabs were constructed of aluminium and were partly assembled in factories before being delivered to the site. They were usually detached and had large gardens. In 1964, a programme of demolition of the prefabricated housing began. They were replaced by a new development of maisonettes and 'walk-up' flats of no more that four storeys in height. The tenants of the prefabs were re-housed in the new buildings.
Other new housing schemes in Oxgangs had been completed by 1957 and included a mixture of houses, low-rise flats and multi-story blocks. They provided homes for families, the elderly and young married couples, many of whom had been victims of overcrowding or lived in condemned property. Two of the high rise buildings, Allermuir Court and Caerketton Court were demolished in 2006

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Flats

Places > Edinburgh areas > Oxgangs

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Plants > Trees > Trees