Warden’s Close

Posted on: August 14, 2026

Sensitive Old Town redevelopment requires stronger heritage, townscape and visual assessment

Sensitive Old Town redevelopment requires stronger heritage, townscape and visual assessment

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association recognises the opportunity to redevelop this long-vacant backland site and accepts that carefully designed development has the potential to make a positive contribution to Warden’s Close and the wider Grassmarket. The Association also supports contemporary architecture where it responds positively to its context and reinforces Edinburgh’s distinctive character and sense of place.

However, this proposal occupies an exceptionally sensitive location within the Old Town Conservation Area and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. While the application concludes that the proposal preserves and enhances these designated heritage assets, the supporting information does not yet provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that this is the case.

The Association considers that the proposed elevations are central to the assessment of the application. The development would introduce a substantial new built frontage into what is currently an open backland space and therefore has the potential to change significantly the sense of place and spatial character of Warden’s Close. This is not simply a question of architectural appearance, but of how the proposed building would influence the enclosure, scale, grain and experience of one of the Old Town’s historic closes.

Given the sensitivity of the location, the Association considers that the application should be supported by a more comprehensive assessment of the impact of the proposed elevations on neighbouring listed buildings, the character and appearance of the Old Town Conservation Area, the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site and the historic urban grain. Assertions that the proposal preserves or enhances these heritage assets should be demonstrated through robust townscape, visual and heritage analysis, including verified visualisations where appropriate.

The Association also considers that insufficient justification has been provided for the proposed use as four purpose-built Short Term Let apartments. Greater consideration should be given to whether permanent residential accommodation would make a stronger and more sustainable contribution to maintaining the mixed and balanced residential community that forms an important element of the special character of the Old Town.

The Association therefore considers that, while redevelopment of the site may be appropriate in principle, further assessment is required to demonstrate that the proposal responds appropriately to the heritage significance, townscape character and distinctive sense of place of Warden’s Close.

 

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Portgower Place

Posted on: July 10, 2026

Further verified visualisations required before townscape impacts can be robustly assessed

Further verified visualisations required before townscape impacts can be robustly assessed

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association welcomes continued investment in community sporting facilities and supports, in principle, the provision of covered padel tennis courts within the established Raeburn Place sports grounds.

However, the site occupies a sensitive location within the Inverleith Conservation Area and the applicant’s Planning Statement relies upon conclusions that the proposal preserves the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and does not adversely affect Key View N2b identified within the Edinburgh Skyline Study. While these conclusions may ultimately prove to be well founded, the Association does not consider that the application is currently supported by sufficient verified visual information to enable them to be independently assessed.

Given the importance of Edinburgh’s internationally recognised townscape, skyline and significant public views, the planning authority should be satisfied that it has adequate evidence before determining the application. In our view, the submission should be supplemented by a more comprehensive suite of verified visualisations and supporting townscape assessment illustrating the proposal from representative public viewpoints, including those identified within the Edinburgh Design Guidance.

Until that information has been provided, the Cockburn Association is unable to support the application and recommends that it should not be determined. We consider that further visual assessment is necessary to demonstrate that the proposal preserves the character and appearance of the Inverleith Conservation Area and safeguards the qualities of Edinburgh’s important skyline and public views.

 

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Willowbrae

Posted on:

Supports brownfield regeneration while seeking stronger architecture and public realm quality

Supports brownfield regeneration while seeking stronger architecture and public realm quality

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association welcomes the redevelopment of this long-standing brownfield site and considers that the proposal represents a significant improvement upon the existing condition of this prominent gateway location. The scheme demonstrates a coherent urban design strategy, responding positively to the street geometry and reinforcing the urban frontage along Willowbrae Road and Northfield Road. The use of durable materials, the integration of landscaping and sustainable drainage, and the provision of active travel infrastructure are all positive aspects of the proposal.

The Association particularly welcomes the applicant’s continued refinement of the scheme through the planning process and recognises that the design has evolved from earlier approved proposals.

However, the Association considers there remains scope for further design refinement. Given the strategic importance of this eastern gateway into Edinburgh, the architecture could provide a stronger civic presence through greater articulation of the principal corner and richer façade modelling. Similarly, opportunities exist to enhance the public realm through a more generous landscape setting, reduced visual dominance of surface parking where practicable, and measures to ensure the ground-floor commercial unit provides an active and enduring contribution to street life.

Subject to these observations, the Cockburn Association considers that the proposal makes a generally positive contribution to the townscape and raises no objection in principle to the application. It encourages the planning authority and applicant to continue refining the architectural detailing and public realm to ensure that the completed development fully realises the potential of this important gateway site.

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Charlotte Square

Posted on:

Calls for stronger heritage justification before altering Category A listed building

Calls for stronger heritage justification before altering Category A listed building

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association notes that this application relates solely to Listed Building Consent and therefore comments only on the effect of the proposed works upon the special architectural and historic interest of this Category A listed building.

We recognise that securing viable ongoing uses for historic buildings can contribute positively to their long-term conservation. However, any alterations to a Category A listed building within Charlotte Square require particularly careful justification and should clearly demonstrate a conservation-led approach based upon minimum intervention and retention of historic fabric.

While the proposed internal alterations appear relatively modest, the application is not accompanied by a standalone Heritage Statement, or equivalent assessment, clearly identifying the significance of the affected historic fabric and demonstrating how the proposals have been informed by that understanding.

The Council should therefore be satisfied that sufficient information has been provided to demonstrate that:

  • the historic plan form has been preserved wherever possible;
  • significant historic fabric and interior features have been retained;
  • new kitchens, bathrooms and service installations represent the minimum intervention necessary;
  • alternative, less invasive approaches have been considered; and
  • all alterations remain reversible wherever reasonably practicable.

Should this level of heritage assessment not already be contained within the submitted documentation, we consider that further conservation justification should be sought before Listed Building Consent is determined. Given the statutory duty to have special regard to preserving listed buildings, it is important that the planning authority is satisfied that the significance of the building has been properly understood and that the proposed works preserve its special architectural and historic interest.

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181 Pleasance

Posted on: July 8, 2026

Office loss and neighbourhood balance raise concerns over proposed aparthotel conversion

Office loss and neighbourhood balance raise concerns over proposed aparthotel conversion

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association recognises that the reuse of existing buildings can represent a sustainable approach to development. However, while the adaptation of the building itself is welcomed in principle, we have significant concerns regarding the proposed change of use from offices to a 23-unit aparthotel.

Our principal concern is the cumulative effect of the continuing growth of visitor accommodation within the Southside. This part of Edinburgh already accommodates a substantial concentration of hotels, aparthotels, purpose-built student accommodation and other visitor-related uses. Although each application is determined on its own merits, planning decisions should also consider the cumulative impact of incremental change on the character and function of the area.

The Southside derives much of its vitality from its mix of residential, commercial, educational, cultural and employment uses. The continued loss of office accommodation risks weakening that balance and reducing the diversity of everyday activity that supports a successful neighbourhood.

The application should therefore provide robust evidence that continued employment use is no longer viable and explain why visitor accommodation represents the most appropriate long-term use of the building. In our view, the supporting information does not yet demonstrate that this important question has been adequately addressed.

The Association also considers that servicing, waste management and operational arrangements should be carefully assessed to ensure that the proposal does not adversely affect neighbouring occupiers or the surrounding public realm.

While we recognise the benefits of reusing the existing building, we consider that insufficient justification has been provided for the permanent loss of employment floorspace and that the cumulative implications for the Southside’s mixed-use character have not been adequately addressed.

For these reasons, the Cockburn Association objects to the application as submitted and requests that the Council seek further evidence on employment need, cumulative impact and neighbourhood balance before determining the proposal.

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Silvan House

Posted on: July 3, 2026

Cockburn objects because too many planning questions remain unanswered

Cockburn objects because too many planning questions remain unanswered

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association welcomes the principle of bringing Silvan House back into productive use and supports the reuse of existing buildings in preference to demolition. A hotel may be an appropriate use in this location, and the sensitive adaptation of a long-vacant building has the potential to make a positive contribution to this part of Corstorphine Road.

However, having reviewed the application and supporting documents, the Association objects to the proposal in its current form because it leaves too many material planning questions unanswered to demonstrate compliance with City Plan 2030.

In particular, the application does not adequately explain how the proposal accords with Policy Econ 2, which seeks mixed-use development, including housing where appropriate, on larger commercial sites. The proposal introduces a substantial single commercial use but provides no explanation as to why no residential element has been considered.

The supporting information is also insufficient in several key respects. The Transport Statement appears to assess the hotel bedrooms but gives limited consideration to traffic generated by the proposed restaurant, bar and events facilities, while servicing, deliveries, guest drop-off and operational management are addressed only at a high level. Given the scale of the development and its location on one of Edinburgh’s principal arterial routes, these matters require a more robust assessment.

The Association is also concerned that the application provides inadequate information on the potential effects on neighbouring residential amenity. Despite the introduction of evening uses, including a bar and events space adjacent to established housing, no acoustic assessment has been submitted and there is little consideration of operational noise, plant or servicing activity.

Similarly, the drainage strategy largely relies on existing infrastructure without demonstrating that opportunities for sustainable drainage have been fully explored, while confirmation of available sewer capacity from Scottish Water remains outstanding despite the projected increase in foul water discharge.

Taken individually, some of these matters might be capable of being resolved through additional information or revised proposals. Collectively, however, they mean that the application has not demonstrated that it complies with the Development Plan. Until these issues have been satisfactorily addressed, the Cockburn Association considers that the proposal cannot be properly assessed and therefore objects to the application as submitted.

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9 St Colme Street

Posted on: June 25, 2026

Further information is required before a complete assessment of this proposal can be made.

Further information is required before a complete assessment of this proposal can be made.

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association recognises the restrained external approach adopted by the proposal and welcomes the retention of important historic features within this Category A listed building. The absence of significant external alteration means that the proposal would have limited direct impact on the appearance of St Colme Street, the New Town Conservation Area and the World Heritage Site.

However, concerns remain regarding the cumulative impact of continued hotel and visitor accommodation growth within central Edinburgh, together with the extent of internal alteration proposed within a highly significant listed building.

Further information is required regarding heritage impacts, replacement windows, operational arrangements and the wider strategic implications of the loss of office accommodation before a complete assessment of this application can be progressed.

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Burdiehouse Burn

Posted on: June 11, 2026

Support for Burdiehouse Burn restoration enhancing biodiversity, resilience and access

Support for Burdiehouse Burn restoration enhancing biodiversity, resilience and access

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association supports this proposal.

The Association welcomes the landscape-led approach to restoring the Burdiehouse Burn corridor and recognises the wider contribution the project would make to biodiversity enhancement, climate adaptation, natural flood management and the strengthening of green and blue infrastructure networks within Edinburgh. The proposal demonstrates a strong understanding of place and responds positively to its environmental context through interventions that prioritise ecological restoration, habitat connectivity and long-term resilience.

The Association particularly welcomes the emphasis on restoring more natural channel morphology, reconnecting floodplain processes and creating improved ecological habitats whilst maintaining and enhancing opportunities for public access and recreation. The proposal aligns positively with wider planning objectives relating to biodiversity recovery, climate resilience and the creation of healthy, accessible places.

The proposal represents an example of blue-green infrastructure being embedded as a primary structuring element of place rather than treated as mitigation. This is strongly welcomed.

The Association would encourage continued attention to several implementation matters as the project progresses:

  • ensuring replacement footbridge and path infrastructure are delivered to a high design quality appropriate to their landscape setting
  • maintaining robust construction management arrangements to minimise temporary impacts upon ecological systems and public access
  • ensuring long-term maintenance and stewardship arrangements remain clear and adequately secured
  • continuing to prioritise biodiversity protection and pollution prevention measures during implementation.

Subject to these considerations, the Association is supportive of the proposal and considers it capable of making a positive contribution to environmental quality, ecological resilience and long-term public value within this part of Edinburgh.

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Reid Quad / Teviot Place

Posted on: May 21, 2026

Temporary festivals accepted, but civic space pressures require tighter safeguards

Temporary festivals accepted, but civic space pressures require tighter safeguards

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association does not object in principle to temporary Fringe-related use in this location.

However, while the application address refers to Bristo Square, the site lies within the Reid Quad / Teviot Place forecourt, where it plays a critical role in the setting, movement and functioning of the surrounding civic environment.

The application seeks permission over a three-year period, from 2026 to 2028. In a space of this sensitivity, this raises particular concerns.

The proposal, as submitted, does not yet demonstrate thatcumulative impacts will be adequately controlled over time

  • sufficient flexibility exists to respond to year-on-year variation
  • the space will retain its role as an open and permeable transitional environment
  • the balance between civic space and managed commercial event space will be appropriately maintained
  • climate mitigation, waste, surface protection, servicing and public realm resilience have been adequately addressed
  • the proposal satisfies the place-making expectations of NPF4 Policy 14 and relevant City Plan 2030 policies

Support could only be contemplated if:

  • the scale and layout are demonstrably reduced to retain meaningful open and transitional space
  • robust and enforceable crowd, noise, waste, servicing and surface-protection measures are secured
  • permission is strictly limited to a single festival season, subject to annual review
  • clear safeguards are secured to protect informal public access, pedestrian movement and civic character
  • the applicant provides clearer commitments on climate mitigation, material reuse, reinstatement and public realm resilience

Should the application proceed with multi-year consent, expand its footprint, or fail to secure enforceable operational controls, the Cockburn Association would have significant concerns and may object to this or future proposals.

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Bristo Square

Posted on:

Festival role recognised, but cumulative civic space impacts require controls.

Festival role recognised, but cumulative civic space impacts require controls.

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association recognises the longstanding role of festival activity within Bristo Square and the wider cultural importance of Edinburgh’s summer festivals. Temporary cultural uses in this location are well established and contribute significantly to the city’s international identity and economy.

However, the Association remains concerned by the continuing intensification and cumulative spread of large-scale temporary festival infrastructure within sensitive civic and historic spaces. While the current proposal may be acceptable in principle as a temporary intervention, it also reflects the growing normalisation of substantial commercial occupation and enclosure of important public realm areas.

The proposal should therefore be subject to particularly robust controls relating to duration, scale, servicing, cleansing, noise management, reinstatement and protection of the public realm. Care should be taken to minimise visual clutter, protect paving and landscape features, and maintain pedestrian permeability and civic legibility throughout the operational period.

Given the cumulative pressures already experienced across central Edinburgh during the festival season, the Association would strongly favour consent being limited to a single festival season rather than multi-year approval, in order to allow regular reassessment of impacts and operational management.

On balance, the Cockburn Association submits a planning comment rather than a formal objection. While temporary festival use in this location is accepted in principle, the cumulative impact on civic space, townscape character and public realm quality remains a significant concern requiring ongoing scrutiny and careful management.

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