Proposed flatted development – Canonmills

Posted on: November 15, 2023

We do not believe that this is a suitable development site for the volume of development proposed

Address: Site 45 Meters North Of 14 Canonmills Edinburgh

Proposal: Proposed development of a single four storey block comprising nine flatted residential properties and ground floor office space (Class 4)

Reference N0: 23/06328/FUL

Closing date for comments: Fri 17 Nov 2023

Determination date:  Mon 18 Dec 2023

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association has to objected to this proposal on the grounds that it impacts negatively on the character of a conservation area and is deficient in both form and context.

Firstly, we do not believe that this is a suitable development site for the volume of development proposed. The lack of usable amenity space and very tight boundaries amounts to overdevelopment with subsequent impacts on amenity, daylighting, and overlooking.

Architecturally, the overall disposition is clumsy and with little design merit. The ‘blockiness’ of the scheme and overly simplistic form results in a building with no effective bottom, middle or top. The change of materials on the upper storey does little create a discernible roofscape and only emphasises the blandness of the proposals.

A much smaller proposal with a significantly higher degree of design input might address these objections but in this context it is unlikely.

As such, we oppose this proposal on the grounds that it does not conform to Local Development Plan Policy Des 1 (Design Quality and Context); Policy Des 4 (Development Design – Impact on Setting) and Policy Des 5 (Development Design – Amenity and Policy).

In addition, the proposals fail Policy ENV6 (Conservation Areas – Development) in that the scheme neither preserves nor enhances the character of the Inverleith Conservation Area and and does not demonstrate high standards of design and materials appropriate to the historic environment.