Sir David Murray's firm to build hundreds of homes on greenbelt

The 'garden district' is to the west of Edinburgh

Plans to build more than 1,300 homes on Edinburgh's green belt have been approved

Murray Estates, controlled by former Rangers owner Sir David Murray, has been granted planning permission for the first phase of the new 600-acre "garden district" by councillors.

The £1bn project is to the west of Edinburgh, between the business park at the Gyle and Heriot-Watt University.

A school, community facilities and shopping complex will also be built.

The wider Murray Estates Developments project features plans for 6,000 houses and leisure facilities.

Councillors voted 35 to 17 in favour of the first phase at Edinburgh City Chambers on Thursday.

Jestyn Davies, managing director of Murray Estates, said: "We are obviously delighted that the council has given such overwhelming backing for our vision for the Garden District.

"We are keen to progress the delivery of new homes, and hope to be on site in the near future.

"Right from the beginning, our plan was to set out and create a genuinely world class extension of the nation's capital, and now we have the support of the city council, we are determined to deliver that vision as soon as we can."

The application will now have to be submitted to the Scottish government for consideration, which will decide whether it is called in for ministers to issue a final ruling.