Erection of 17 No. student accommodation units

Posted on: March 12, 2025

This site does not appear to be a realistic development opportunity

This site does not appear to be a realistic development opportunity

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn has objected to this application.  This site does not appear to be a realistic development opportunity.  The specific reason for a similar application on this site to be rejected: namely, negative impact on trees is not, in our view, sufficiently addressed in the current application.

Further Details Here

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Erection of windbreak roof structure

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A more contemporary solution may be more acceptable.

A more contemporary solution may be more acceptable.

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn has objected to this application.  We can appreciate the need for the provision of shelter for clients of this significant attraction. However, given the site’s context in terms of its Old Town location and it proximity to numerous listed buildings, this proposal is not good enough. A more contemporary solution may be more acceptable.  We note that the application makes no reference to its relevant A-listed status or any other heritage considerations. This is unacceptable.

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Installation of memorial cat sculpture

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Hugo was well known among local people in the west end of Edinburgh

Hugo was well known among local people in the west end of Edinburgh

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn has supported this statue in acknowledgement of  Hugo’s significance as a local character, appreciating his role in shaping Edinburgh’s distinct identity and heritage. Local art, such as this statue, is crucial to communities, fostering pride, connection, and continuity, whilst offering a concrete link to shared history and values that reinforce community ties.

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Dry Dock at Harbour 31

Posted on: February 21, 2025

Developments such as this should support and facilitate a strategic link along Edinburgh’s waterfront

Developments such as this should support and facilitate a strategic link along Edinburgh’s waterfront

Cockburn Response

This proposed development off Bath Road in Edinburgh aims to create a versatile business hub. This project includes the construction of office spaces, general industrial facilities, and areas designated for storage or distribution. Additionally, the development plans feature a training facility to support skill development and ancillary retail and food and drink outlets to cater to the needs of those working in and visiting the area. The proposal also includes associated infrastructure, such as parking, to ensure convenience and accessibility.

The Cockburn Association  has commented on this application, highlighting that it lacks a clear public realm strategy, and requires a clearer definition of the public realm proposed for the site. Further clarification and details are required to demonstrate how the proposed development will integrate with the wider Leith community and how it will increase accessibility and permeability across the port area. Developments such as this should not miss out on opportunities to support and facilitate a strategic link along Edinburgh’s waterfront and should seek to maximise opportunities for engagement with the waterfront. This application could do more to address both these points. Additionally, the proposed development’s future relationship, if any, with the Forth Freeport is not addressed.

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West Park Place PBSA

Posted on: February 13, 2025

The existing buildings are not listed but have been identified as locally significant

The existing buildings are not listed but have been identified as locally significant

Cockburn Response

This planning application involves the demolition of the existing buildings at 2 – 3 West Park Place, Edinburgh. The site will be redeveloped to construct purpose-built student accommodation, which will include ancillary amenities, cycle parking, landscaping, and other associated works. The existing buildings are not listed but have been flagged as locally significant by appropriate City of Edinburgh Council officers. There has been local interest and local objections.

The Cockburn Association objects to this application.  We  are not convinced that the case for the complete demolition of all the existing buildings is justified.

The height, mass, and bulk of the proposals seem excessive for such a constrained site in a heavily residential area, and there are no new accessible greenspaces or additional amenity benefits for the area’s existing community.

The application does not discuss the cumulative impact of adding additional student accommodation to an area which already has built and consented PBSA accommodation.

Additionally, while we acknowledge that most of the accommodation proposed is in cluster configurations, we would have liked to have seen a fuller discussion of how this development could be effectively and affordably reconfigured as mainstream housing if the demand for PBSA should fall in the future.

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Northfield Drive PBSA

Posted on: January 10, 2025

A disappointing design

A disappointing design

Cockburn Response

Some recent proposals for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) buildings in Edinburgh have been praised for their architectural quality, creating a visually appealing and contextually sensitive structures.

However, the current PBSA development proposed for Northfield Drive in Edinburgh has a disappointing design which adds little to the visual amenity and diversity of its neighbourhood.

With so many PBSA applications coming forward across Edinburgh at this time, it is crucial that each new development adds something of value to the Edinburgh cityscape.

 

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217 High Street

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More technical reassurance is required

More technical reassurance is required

Cockburn Response

This proposal may be acceptable. However, very little information is provided in the application. We would have expected to see more detailed technical reassurance that the works proposed will secure the facade of this prominent Category A listed building on the High Street of Edinburgh.  In the absence of this information we have objected to this application.

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Major events in West Princes Street Gardens consultation comments

Posted on: December 18, 2024

The Association does not support an increase in the number of major events at the Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens.

The Association does not support an increase in the number of major events at the Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens.

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association appreciates the opportunity to respond to the City of Edinburgh Council’s consultation on the future of the Ross Bandstand and the proposed relaxation of the Major Events policy.  We recognize the historical significance of the bandstand and fully support its refurbishment to preserve its heritage.

Additionally, we endorse its use for community and small-scale events, which align with the character and spirit of Princes Street Gardens.

However, we have significant concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of large-scale events at the Ross Bandstand on public access to Princes Street Gardens, the parkland and greenspace, and biodiversity. As such,  we do not support the proposal to increase the number of major events in the Gardens.  This policy was put in place only two years ago, following extensive public consultation and we can see no evidence that would support such a change, other than a desire to further commercialise the gardens.  We appreciate the need for investment and the desire to support local community/school events in the gardens and bandstand.   However, we feel that these two issues have been unnecessarily conflated and should not be; that is, for small community/local school events, it is not a requirement change the current “4 major events” policy.

Similarly, we feel that this consultation, and the previous report to the Culture & Communities Committee in May 2024, ignores the public value of the gardens.  In surveys over the past few decades, its greenness and its tranquillity were cited as the top benefits for citizens .   The continued pressure from the Council and others to turn West Princes Street Gardens and the Ross Bandstand into a major performance hub is not agreeable in this context.

Similarly, there are no concrete proposals available for the refurbishment and enhancement of the existing bandstand.  These should be advanced first before any change on major events policy is considered.  The separate Waverley Valley and Princes Street Strategy, which is out for consultation at the same, should be determined first, and it can help any further consideration of the intensification of commercial events in the gardens.

See our full response to the consultation here – https://www.cockburnassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cockburn-Association-Response-to-Ross-Bandstand-events-consultation-18-December-2024.pdf.

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New Town Quarter

Posted on: December 12, 2024

The Cockburn will seek reassurance on several proposed changes. 

The Cockburn will seek reassurance on several proposed changes. 

Cockburn Response

The six-acre site on Dundas Street has planning permission for 350 new homes with various Build to Rent, private residential, mid-market rent and office space. However, developer Ediston wants to change two blocks from Build to Rent to PBSA without altering the appearance of the original plans. Additionally, they want to change the proposed office area into more residential units, necessitating a height increase. The PBSA development would host 580 students, and the office block would be converted to around 80 homes, increasing the number of homes for sale to around 200. The mid-market rent block of 108 homes would remain the same. The developer has said that inflation has caused a significant impact on the construction market, so the original plan is now not financially viable.

The New Town Quarter was initially conceived as a mixed-use, self-contained site.  What is now being proposed is a primarily residential development dominated by PBSA.  The six-acre site on Dundas Street has received planning permission for 350 new homes, including various options for Build to Rent, private residential units, mid-market rent, and office space. However, the developer, Ediston, wants to modify the original plans by changing two blocks from Build to Rent to Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) without altering their appearance. Additionally, they wish to convert the proposed office area into more residential units, which would require increasing the height of the buildings.

The PBSA development is expected to accommodate 580 students, while the conversion of the office block would yield around 80 new homes, bringing the total number of homes for sale to approximately 200. The mid-market rent block, consisting of 108 homes, would remain unchanged. The developer has cited inflation as a significant factor affecting the construction market, making the original plan financially unviable.

At its most recent meeting,  the Cockburn’s Policy and Development Committee reviewed the proposed changes to this scheme and considered them significant. The New Town Quarter was initially envisioned as a mixed-use, self-contained site. The current proposal, which leans heavily towards residential development dominated by PBSA, has raised concerns among committee members. When the anticipated new planning application is lodged, the committee will seek reassurance on several proposed changes.

Public Consultation Site:

https://www.newtownquarter.co.uk/

Further Details Here

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Visitor Levy for Edinburgh

Posted on: December 9, 2024

We believe that the main objective of the levy is to improve the City of Edinburgh for its resident population, mitigating the impacts of mass tourism in the city. The funds should be aligned to enhance those attributes which entice visitors to the city, namely its heritage and landscape qualities as well as improve the amenity of public assets such as greenspaces and cultural attractions, which would benefit visitors and residents alike.

We believe that the main objective of the levy is to improve the City of Edinburgh for its resident population, mitigating the impacts of mass tourism in the city. The funds should be aligned to enhance those attributes which entice visitors to the city, namely its heritage and landscape qualities as well as improve the amenity of public assets such as greenspaces and cultural attractions, which would benefit visitors and residents alike.

Cockburn Response

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