Pop-up Festival Village
Posted on: June 22, 2023
It remains our position that this application should be refused
Address: Roof Terrace Waverley Mall 3 Waverley Bridge Edinburgh
Proposal: Pop-up Festival Village including erection of structures and provision of cafe, bars, food, and drink uses, toilets, seating and ancillary facilities and works.
Reference No: 23/02154/FUL
Closing date for comments: Fri 30 Jun 2023
Determination date: Fri 21 Jul 2023
Cockburn Response
The Cockburn objects to this application. It appears very similar to a previous application on this site which we objected to and which was refused planning permission. The only significant difference from the previous application would appear to be that retail units and toilets have been removed. This, if anything, renders this application ever less acceptable given that the nature of commercial activity proposed inevitably requires more, rather than fewer, toilets. Waverley Market is located on a particularly congested part of Princes Street with vehicular and pedestrian traffic moving to and from major transport hubs. This proposal will inevitably make an already poor situation worse. In addition, the structures associated with this application will negatively impact on some of the city’s most iconic views.
It remains our position that this application should be refused. The proposal will have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the New and Old Town conservation areas and is therefore contrary to Section 59 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and Local Development Plan Policy Env 6 (Conservation Areas – Development). It will also have an adverse impact on the setting of a number of nearby listed buildings and is therefore contrary to Section 64 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and Local Development Plan Policy Env 3 (Listed Buildings – Setting). As a result the proposal will have a detrimental impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site contrary to Local Development Plan Policy Env 1 (World Heritage Sites). In addition, the proposal does not represent a high-quality design that safeguards the historic environment and is therefore contrary to Local Development Plan policies Del 2 (City Centre), Ret 7 (Entertainment and Leisure Developments – Preferred Locations) and Des 4 (Development Design – Impact on Setting).
Should this pplication be refused planning permission, it may be appropriate for the Council’s Development Management Sub- Committee to determine enforcement action.