Refusal of Student Accommodation at Dalton Scrapyard: Detailed Analysis

The recent refusal of the planning application for student accommodation at the Dalton scrapyard on Salamander Street is particularly relevant to community groups in areas of Edinburgh that already have Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) developments. This decision highlights the council’s approach to balancing housing needs, environmental concerns, and community sentiments, which could influence future developments in similar areas.

Planning Application Summary

The application for planning permission at 52-66 Salamander Street, Edinburgh, proposed the demolition of existing buildings and the erection of a mixed-use development. This included residential units (build-to-rent and affordable housing), purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), and commercial/retail spaces at street level. The development aimed to provide 46 student units (230 bed spaces), 30 build-to-rent units, and 16 affordable units, along with associated amenity spaces, landscaping, and cycle parking.

Reasons for Refusal

1. Housing Density and Development Principles: The proposal did not meet the required number of housing units as set out in the Local Development Plan (LDP). The site was expected to deliver 113 housing units, but the inclusion of PBSA prevented this, conflicting with LDP Policy Hou 1 (Housing Development) and Policy Env 26 (Density).
2. Student Accommodation Policy: The site exceeded 0.25 hectares, and less than 50% of the site was used for housing, contrary to LDP Policy Hou 5 (Student Accommodation).
3. Air Quality Concerns: Insufficient information was provided to address air quality issues for future residents, which could impact their health, conflicting with LDP policies Env 33 and Env 34, and NPF4 policy 23.
4. Daylight and Aspect: An unacceptable level of daylight would reach a number of rooms within the proposed development, and more than 50% of the housing units were single aspect, contrary to LDP Policy Env 33 and The Edinburgh Design Guidance.
5. Flood Risk: The site and area were assessed to have a future flood risk, which could result in an inability to provide safe access and egress for residents during a flood event. This risk could not be reasonably mitigated within this application.

These reasons collectively led to the refusal of the planning application. For more details refer to the relevant committee papers on the planning portal. 📖👉 https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage