A seemingly mundane planning proposal for land between Logie Green Road and Beaverbank Place is not so mundane after all.
In the fine print, it becomes clear that an important strand of the consented development for the site has now been quietly dropped, and more traffic may soon be on its way to this busy part of Broughton. All this, apparently, with City of Edinburgh Council's agreement.
The Watkin Jones Group (WJG) has applied to build a surface car park and associated works at 11 Logie Green Road, and 26, 28a, 29, 32–3 Beaverbank Place (Ref. 13/00589/FUL).
The new proposal is just the latest in a long list of amendments to the mixed-use development originally consented for Logie Green Developments Ltd (Ref. 08/01365/FUL; Breaking news, 30.9.11).
WJG bought that site, developed and sold on much of it, and in theory had only to complete the (already consented) proposal for another 24 residential apartments, 8 affordable housing units, and 1,125 sq.m. Class 1 retail space in Block A1.
WJG is exploring with CEC 'alternative methods of ensuring that the affordable housing requirement is realised'. They do not specify where or when. But, such explorations have in the past quite often resulted in less lucrative elements of housing developments getting shunted off into some convenient and far-away backwater of Leith.
The Statement goes on to say that WJG has instead reached agreement with CEC to deliver 18 'mainstream' private residential apartments and 6 shared equity units in Block A1.
These would be built above the retail space, for which 'Discussions with a discount food retail operator are at an advanced stage'.
The retailer's needs would require modification of the planned underground car parking spaces. Some 33 of these would be for its exclusive use.
The Transport Statement then purports to detail:
'An appropriate strategy for development parking, which ensures that necessary car borne trips can be accommodated, and sustainable travel is fully supported, both for the residential and retail elements.'
Spurtle is unpersuaded. To us, much of this sounds like hogwash. Here's what concerns us:
1. Clearly, more cars and delivery lorries will come and go at a time when Logie Green and Broughton Road residents are tearing their hair out at the unendurable level of vehicle disruption in this area (Issue 197; Letters 11.3.13).
2. Surely, there is no shortage of demand in Edinburgh for affordable housing, so what has gone wrong here? Were the plans just not desirable enough? Or was the financial model to blame for landlords' lack of interest? Can the mistake not be rectified?
3. People seek affordable housing in Broughton. And Broughton should welcome its provision. Healthy communities are mixed ones. We should not let developers get away with promising affordable housing at an early stage, and then carving it out of the new neighbourhood at a much later stage pre-completion.
4. Whatever the problems here, it would be unforgivable if alleviating the short-term embarassment of a developer were promoted by Council officers over the long-term health and amenity of locals already under siege from traffic. It concerns us that locals who have raised the issue of traffic volumes here have allegedly been met with inexplicable inertia and indifference.
If you live nearby, please keep us in the loop. Are you in favour of more shopping choices, or against more vehicles? If you decide to campaign, let us know how you get on.
We want to know everything! Email us at: spurtle@hotmail.co.uk Twitter: @theSpurtle Facebook: Broughton Spurtle
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REACTION
From Logie Green resident Neale Gilhooley, by email (15.3.13)
I had thought from previous reports and applications that this was to be a mixed development of residential blocks of apartments, more student accommodation and low-cost housing, as well as a gym. Now it seems to have changed.
I'm not sure what will remain in the plans, but the mention of a low-cost retail unit is a bit alarming as I don't recall any planning talk of that.
It does however start to make sense of Tesco's recent application for 82 signs [Breaking news, 5.3.13] as they seem to want to blitz the competition before it lays a single brick. So Tesco are not just trying to help drivers find their way out of the car park after all. The flag pole is to mark out the territory for a war.