The Balmoral Hotel's application to update its signage has been granted (Ref. 12/00449/LBC).
However, and much to Spurtle's relief, the proposal to slap an advertisement for Hadrian's Brasserie across the North Bridge niche has been deleted (Breaking news, 29.2.12; see file at foot of this page). It is gratifyingly absent on the revised restaurant elevation.
Planning officers also insisted that before new signage is installed, the existing brass-coloured menu boxes and pole sign be removed in order to safeguard the character of the A-listed building.
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In Breaking news (18.10.11) we reported Crolla's efforts at 43 Broughton Street to run the basement as a café (Ref. 11/03201/CLE). Crolla's and the landlord claimed that it had been lawfully used for this purpose in the past, although such use had ceased in recent years.
Planning officers have now concluded that 'there is sufficient evidence from rates records, lease details and Environmental Health certificates to confirm that the use of the basement as a café has been taken up, despite its current vacancy (due to no fault of the landlord), and therefore on the balance of probability a certificate of lawful use should be granted.'
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[img_assist|nid=2945|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=200|height=195]Prior approval has been granted for the tramstop and overhead wiring on York Place (Ref. 12/00915/PA). See Breaking news (27.3.12).
There were two hostile comments from a member of the public. A Mr Kim Harding objected to 'the use of cobbles in the roadway at the tramstops. This creates an unnecessary hazard to cyclists for no good reason. Edinburgh needs to widen opportunities for active travel not reduce them if it wants to be a successful modern city. Also I object to my council tax being wasted in such a narrow-minded manner.'
Planners responded in their report: 'The use of an imprinted concrete finish rather than cobbles for the track bed, has been agreed by the project team working with the Council as a revised treatment for the on street sections of route. This is also acceptable, including from a cycle user perspective.' Permission was granted pending final approval for the tramstop's buffers and overhead line finials.
The tramstop on York Place is a temporary measure. It will be removed when the line extends via Picardy Place down Leith Walk at some unspecified point in the future (illustrated).
[Image courtesy of Scott Beale/Laughing Squid.]