Christmas 2023

Posted on: October 13, 2023

No obvious move to spread Christmas attractions to other residential centres across the city

No obvious move to spread Christmas attractions to other residential centres across the city

Cockburn Response

Seasonal installations of stalls, fairground rides, an ice rink and associated seasonal attractions and entertainments  in Edinburgh city centre  are very popular  and draw large crowds of residents and visitors each year.  Unfortunately, the nature of these attractions, problems with the timing and quality of the associated planning processes and the concentration of attractions  in a few central venues and in greenspaces have frequently drawn criticism in recent years.  Christmas 2022 was particularly chaotic when the whole event almost did not take place.  This year’s planning applications have been presented in a more timely fashion. But their lack of detail is extremely disappointing as is the lack of any sign that the event have been disaggregated to allow similar, though smaller, Christmas 2023 attractions in other commercial and residential centre across the city.

We have objected to all four Christmas 2023 applications. We have done this because, in our view, there is  simply not enough information provided in these applications to take an informed and meaningful view on a large number of highly relevant considerations.

These include, but are not limited to, access arrangements, equal access provision, crowd management, actual or potential impacts on heritage and natural assets, consideration of use of soft landscaped area, missed opportunities to use nearby or existing hard standing, event creep, increased footprint, impact on permanent retailers, impact of thoroughfares, noise, sustainable transport, waste management, carbon footprint and  carbon mitigation and the cumulative impact of the Christmas 2023 applications: 23/04144/FUL 23/04199/FUL 23/04142/FUL 23/04143/FUL.

These applications are particularly disappointing given the controversies which have surrounded planning applications and the planning process for Christmas  installations  in the centre of Scotland’s capital year on year.

The lack of any apparent move to disseminate Christmas attractions to other residential centres across the city will disappoint the reasonable expectations of many citizens.

 

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St Andrew Street Hostel

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The proposed rooftop bar seems unnecessary in this location

The proposed rooftop bar seems unnecessary in this location

Cockburn Response

The existing planning permission for the redevelopment of this building as a hotel is noted .

The proposed use as hostel accommodation should  diversity the variety and affordability of accommodation available in the city centre.

However,   the proposed rooftop bar, which significantly increases the height of the existing building, seems unnecessary for a hostel in the heart of the city centre where so many bars and similar outlets are already available.

Necessary and comprehensive details relating to future access and servicing arrangements  for the hostel are not included in the application.

For these reasons, we object to this application.

Further Details Here

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Eyre Place Student Accommodation

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Changes are not significant in our view

Changes are not significant in our view

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association objected to an earlier version of this application.  We note that the current proposal is slightly less high and has an increased footprint but these changes are not significant in our view.   We therefore reiterate our objection:

The Cockburn OBJECTS to this application.

We acknowledge that student accommodation developments can bring many benefits to local communities. However, in this relatively small, constrained site the height, size  and scale of the proposed development is entirely unacceptable.

This is a largely residential neighbourhood which is not particularly close to any academic centre. The area’s existing architectural context and residential character must inevitably be adversely impacted by a development of the proposed height, mass and scale given its proximity to established residential properties. The potential of the proposed development to adversely impact existing properties in terms of noise, overshadowing and privacy is clear.  Policy ENV6 and HOU5 seem particularly relevant to the consideration of this development.

We have  also been alerted to detailed observations and comments  which have been made by local residents concerning both this development and a related proposal for townhouses  on Eyre Place Lane. These detailed observations require full consideration by planning officers.

The lack of a fully up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of both student accommodation demand and existing or approved provision across the city is unhelpful when assessing this or similar applications for student accommodation.  In addition, the continuing loss of small industrial sites in the community, such as this development site , actively works against the achievement of the 20 Minute Neighbourhood concept being actively  promoted by the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government.

Further Details Here

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Eyre Place Townhouses

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The revised application looks more like sporadic urban development than placemaking

The revised application looks more like sporadic urban development than placemaking

Cockburn Response

The original proposal for this site consisted of 9 townhouses, now reduced to 7.

The Cockburn now objects to this application,.Townhouses may be acceptable on this site.  But the revised application looks more like sporadic urban development rather than carefully considered placemaking

We  also reiterate our comments made regarding the earlier application:

We accept that townhouses may be appropriate for this location.

However, the current proposals require revision. In particular, the urban form and disposition of adjacent properties on Eyre Place Lane should be respected.  This specifically includes a more sympathetic response to varying ground levels on the site.

In addition, the stepped access to the proposed townhouses seems inconsistent with the principles of today’s accessibility requirements and aspirations for residential properties. Such access restricts their suitability to potential residents.

We have  also been alerted to detailed observations and comments  which have been made by local residents concerning both this development and a related proposal for student accommodation  on Eyre Place. These detailed observations require full consideration by planning officers.

Further Details Here

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Sibbald Walk

Posted on: September 13, 2023

Student accommodation may be acceptable on this site. but only as part of a part of a mixed-use development which conforms to City Plan 2030 and which includes affordable housing, commercial and community spaces and appropriate climate-ready  landscaping and greenspace.

Student accommodation may be acceptable on this site. but only as part of a part of a mixed-use development which conforms to City Plan 2030 and which includes affordable housing, commercial and community spaces and appropriate climate-ready  landscaping and greenspace.

Cockburn Response

We  have objected to this planning application.

We note that there is an existing planning approval for this site.  However, we believe that over-dominance of student accommodation in the current  application is undesirable and  will not support the social, economic and environment sustainability of the Old Town.

We acknowledge that the proposed development is of a similar scale as  the development which has approval for this site.  But its taller, characterless, more monolithic appearance is at odds with the rest of the New Waverley development and with the architecture of the Old Town more generally.

Student accommodation may be acceptable on this site. but only as part of a part of a mixed-use development which conforms to City Plan 2030 and which includes affordable housing, commercial and community community spaces and appropriate climate-ready  landscaping and greenspace.

The three housing  units in the current proposal are clearly out of place and inconsistent with a scheme which is now entirely dominated by student housing

Further Details Here

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Serviced Apartments – Crichton’s Close

Posted on: August 9, 2023

There seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area

There seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area

Cockburn Response

It is acknowledged that serviced holiday apartments, as proposed, may cause a more limited impact on surrounding homes and offices than holiday properties with no on-site management.

However, in the context of  ever expanding provision for the needs and requirements of transient populations in the Old Town, including tourists.  The Cockburn is increasingly concerned that there seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area.

The continuing expansion of holiday-related accommodation in the Old Town has considerable potential to negatively impact on the lives and quality of life of long-term residents as it has already done in many European capitals, some of whom are now actively engaging in destination management to re-balance the needs and expectations of their residents and other stakeholders.

Further Details Here

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Edinburgh College of Art

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The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings

The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings

Cockburn Response

Overall the Cockburn is very supportive of this high-profile redevelopment within  the World Heritage Site and Old Town Conservation Area.  Three listed buildings are directly impacted, and significant changes are proposed to the public realm.

The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings to suit contemporary usage,  the needs and expectations of academic staff and current students  and to facilitate barrier free access, as far as possible, within and around the buildings of the campus.  We do not consider that  impacts on the built heritage associated with this development are  either significant or negative.

However, the landscaping proposals are disappointing.  Overall, we considered that there is  too much hard landscaping and that an insufficient attempt has been  made to adapt the refreshed and new landscaped areas to the challenges of a changing local climate.

An attempt could also have been made to link several pockets of private/ public greenspace which exist around the ECA to promote urban biodiversity and climate adaptation goals.

The reduction of car parking   facilities across the site is welcomed.  But again this could have gone further with softer, greener landscaping proposals rather than the areas of hard landscape which are currently proposed.

Further Details Here

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Hunter’s Hall Public Park – Common Good Consultation

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A clear community benefit should be identified over and above any improvement to telecoms functionality

A clear community benefit should be identified over and above any improvement to telecoms functionality

Cockburn Response

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Alterations to The Old Waverley Hotel

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The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage

The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage

Cockburn Response

 

The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage and a  more suitable and accessible entrance for this prominent hotel. The proposals will retain some ground level activity along Princes Street. 

The proposed restaurant and proposed improvements to the meuse lane  are also positive.

The approved roof extension will rationalise  the rather negative, unattractive  and jumbled aesthetic of the current roofscape. 

However, more information on access and servicing would have been welcome.

Further Details Here

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Proposed 5G telecoms installation: Grange Road

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The need to clarify if, when and how such installations  can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent

The need to clarify if, when and how such installations  can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent

Cockburn Response

Proposals for prominent telecommunications installations in conservation areas continue to come forward and generally result in  significant local concern regarding their siting and their potential negative impact on the character and amenity of  individual conservation areas.

Local planning authorities are under a duty to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas . Policies need to be developed which clearly identify what it is about the character or appearance of the area which should be preserved or enhanced and the means of achieving that objective.

Given the frequency with which telecommunications  installations are proliferating across the city.  The need to clarify if, when and how such installations  can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent.

It is our view that such proposals  should not add to street clutter on busy pedestrian thoroughfares or in vicinity of  busy road  junctions.  Applications in conservation  areas should certainly be refused if it is determined that the benefits of the proposed installation are deemed not to outweigh the harm caused to the unique character  of the conservation area and if there is insufficient evidence that alternative sites or mast sharing opportunities have been adequately explored.

We understand the essential requirement for modern telecommunications infrastructure in our city and its importance to residents, visitors and businesses. However, we believe that, in consultation with local stakeholders, any  proposed telecommunications installation  in  a conservation area should be located in an inconspicuous location, dis-aggregated into smaller, less conspicuous arrays or co-located on an existing installation if this is achievable.

Further Details Here

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