For reasons which are not immediately obvious, Cornerstone Property Development has applied for the second time in 12 months for a change of use at 2–3a Blenheim Place from bank to hostel (Ref. 18/07713/FUL).
The proposal is for a 7-bedroom business across 3 floors. The basement would comprise storage, a laundry, kitchen and communal area. At ground-floor level, there would be an office/reception area, a large lounge, a vault and a toilet. The 7 bedrooms (with an unspecified number of beds) on the first floor would have 2 bathrooms and a single toilet.
This is very like the Cornerstone proposal we reported in the summer (Breaking news, 7.6.18), which was withdrawn on 13 September.
The new proposal includes the revised Supporting Planning Statement which was added to the previous submission, and on the application form makes clear for the first time that McEwan Properties Ltd is the owner of at least part of the land. However, McEwan’s address is mistakenly given as 130 Claremont Street rather than 130 East Claremont Street.
Readers will recall Cornerstone’s recent retrospective application for short-term lets at nearby 7–8a Baxter’s Place (Ref. 17/05645/FUL). That effort was refused by councillors in August (Breaking news, 30.8.18) and has now gone to appeal to the Scottish Government with a determination date set for 7 December (PPA-230-2249). Neighbours in Blenheim Place hope for a similarly robust defence of residential amenity this time around.
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