Foremost Properties (Scotland) LLP’s proposals for 67 Colony-style and flatted dwellings at land 35m southwest of 132 McDonald Road have been granted planning consent (Ref. 12/03518/FUL; Breaking news, 6.11.12).
This will please many locals, for whom the plans seemed either a welcome addition to the area or, at least, a substantial improvement on previous designs.
Two of the more interesting conditions attached to the consent are that:
- ‘The developer shall investigate the installation of electric vehicle charging points with reference to Making the Connection - The Plug-in Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, Office for Low Emission Vehicles (June 2011)’.
As yet there is no indication of when Foremost Properties plan to begin or finish building at the site.
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Works are proposed for the floodwall east of 1 Canonmills (Ref. 13/01976/FUL).
As part of the Flood Prevention Scheme, Arup Scotland seek consent for: the existing wall in the car park behind Earthy to be raised and buttressed; construction of steel buttresses on the gable end; and installation of ‘demountable defences’ at the rear accesses. A developer’s visualisation appears below.
We think the demountable defences will be something similar to the metal shutters visible on the upstream side of the bridge.
How all this squares with the recent planning consent granted for a new mixed development on the site (Breaking news, 15.5.13) is as clear as silt.
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The Ballantrae Hotel Group – owner of the Albany Hotel on Albany Street – says it already has planning permission for a 2-storey extension to the rear at 11–13 York Lane, although we cannot find it. We are, however, aware of a separate application for a 3-storey extension in 2011 (Ref. 11/03872/FUL; Breaking news, 13.3.12).
The latter was refused because:
'The proposals are contrary to the Edinburgh City Local Plan Policies Des 3, Env 1, Env 3, Env 6 and to the Non-Statutory Planning Guidelines on "Mews" as the scale, height, form, elevational treatment and materials of the proposed building and associated linking walkway will have an adverse effect upon the setting of the listed buildings and upon the character and appearance of the New Town Conservation Area and World Heritage site.'
Nothing daunted, Ballantrae is again applying for a 3-storey (or 'additional storey') extension (Ref. 13/02128/FUL).
A supporting statement has been sent by the developer direct to the Planning Department, but it does not appear online. Spurtle suspects it talks optimistically about a precedented and sensitive architectural response in keeping with its surroundings.
In any case, we salute the applicant's Bruce-like determination.
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Try to contain your excitement.
Tesco has been granted planning permission for new timber trolley shelters in the car park at 7 Broughton Road (Ref. 13/01173/FUL).