In a move which will thrill broad-minded packing crates across the capital, the Class 11 Sauna/Health Club at 4 Broughton Market has applied for a change of use to storage/light industrial/office use with ancillary parking (Class 4).
Connected with this, it also seeks permission for alterations to provide a personnel door and two vehicle access doors at the front (Ref. 13/00414/FUL). One parking space is proposed.
According to its website, Steamworks aimed to provide a 'unique and upscale sauna and spa experience in a safe and healthy environment'. It is not clear whether the change of use is in any way related to City of Edinburgh Council's recent change of licensing policy for saunas.
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Professor Sandy Halliday seeks permission to convert Unit 1, 12 Gayfield Street from an office to a one-bedroom family dwelling (Ref. 14/00429/FUL).
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'The proposals seek to create a solid, robust and elegant corner block ... which quietly complements the scale and mass of the Glasite Meeting House,' reads the Design Statement by Glasgow architects Studio Kap.
'Whilst drawing on references of scale, mass and urban form of surrounding buildings, the proposals have no pretence of belonging to an earlier period.'
Planning permission was secured for a very similar proposal here in 2010 (Ref. 09/03105/FUL), but this time there is no application for mixed office/residential use.
'... may be either be linked to [sic] or function separately from the main house at No.36. Four parking spaces are provided at ground level, accessed off Albany Street Lane and pedestrian access is provided directly from the garden of No. 36 down to the garage and up to the 1st floor of accommodation.'
Spurtle understands that Kingsford Estates Ltd, of which Mr Watts was the founder, is based at No. 36 Albany Street, and that a separate, serviced office operates from No. 36a.
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London-based Waves Consultancy Limited have applied to change the use of 'dead space' in Tesco's car park at 7 Broughton Road into a 'hand car wash and valeting opertation including installation of an office and erection of a canopy' (Ref. 14/00421/FUL).
By dead space, what they appear to mean is a hatched area outside the gate to the loading bay, and three parking spaces reserved for parents with young children.
Waves say the development would provide 4 new full-time and 4 new part-time jobs, whilst resulting in no significant increase in traffic or car park usage.
Regarding residential amenity, Waves say:
'We do not believe that there will be a material increase in noise and
disturbance from the site because of the proposed use of the site as a supermarket. The proposed hours of operation reflect the standard operating hours of a retail outlet.
'All equipment used on our car wash will emit very low levels of noise and the jet washes are housed within the office to minimise any noise. Please see also attached noise survey showing the readings from the proposed equipment.
'If there are any specific concerns relating to local residential dwellings then we can commission a site specific noise survey but this can take 3–4 weeks to produce (subject to weather conditions).
Waves' assertion that the jet washes will be in the office may or may not make a difference. But if, as seems certain, the piercing, hissy, chrome-jangling, squirty end of the jets operate outside the office then neighbours will naturally have something to say about it. Provided they can make themselves heard.
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In Issue 225 we reported our misgivings at Springfield Properties Ltd's attempt to vary its planning obligations in relation to public realm improvements associated with the development of Beaverhall Road (Ref. 13/04470/OBL).
What appears to have been a related line of argument (Ref. 13/05319/OBL), in which
Springfield claimed imposition of the public realm contribution and its expected use did not comply with the provisions of Circular 3/2012, has now been decided upon. City of Edinburgh Council rejected the application, considering its main claim to be incorrect.
'The agreement to make the public realm contribution was considered necessary before the planning permission for the development could be granted. The discharge of the obligation within the concluded agreement would be contrary to the approved policy for the requirement to make a public realm contribution.'
[Image of jet spray emitting very low noise: Wikipedia, Creative Commons.]
