PLANNING UPDATE (18.6.12)

Submitted by Editor on Tue, 19/06/2012 - 12:13

Gullane-based PM Partnership proposes converting a Category A-listed townhouse at 18 Great King Street from office use to form 2 residential units, and to build a new 2-bedroom mews house to the rear on SE Cumberland Street Lane (Refs 12/01954/LBC; 12/01955/FUL).

The Great King Street building would be divided into a 3-storey dwelling and basement flat. Spurtle already detects the collective in-sucking of New Town breath at plans to install modern sliding-door access to the rear garden.

Neighbours' irritation at the possible arrival of a new mews may be mitigated by the reduction in on-site carparking from 8 spaces to 1 (internal), and the consequent reduction in traffic.

Preliminary discussions have already taken place between the owner's agent and Council Planning officials.

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[img_assist|nid=3106|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=200|height=161]Hugo Boss – the German fashion and luxury-goods house – are to open an outlet in WAG Alley, occasionally referred to as Multrees Walk.

The company – with a controversial Third-Reich record of supplying the right uniforms to the wrong sort of customer – will occupy the currently vacant premises at Nos 13–14, and seek permission to replace the damaged glazed shop frontage there with a new jet-black one (Ref. 12/01965/FUL).

Jolly smart it will look, too.

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[img_assist|nid=3108|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=200|height=194]The now retired founder of Stringers of Edinburgh seeks planning consent to return the firm's former premises at Category A-listed 13 York Place to residential use (Ref. 12/01990/FUL).

'No major changes are involved apart from creating a family kitchen and upgrading bathrooms ...'

Stringers – specialising in all things violin, viola, cello and double-bass – has recently relocated to No. 7: a move which doubtless made sound business sense but nevertheless took a lot of guts.

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Permission has been granted to convert the upper-floor of the former Black's outdoor pursuits outfitters at 14 Elm Row into two flats (Ref. 12/01545/FUL; Breaking news, 9.5.12)

As a condition, the Council's consent included Environmental Assessment's recommendation that sufficient sound insulation be provided to insulate the new dwellings from street-level and downstairs-retail-neighbour noise.