Robertson Avenue student residential development

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association supports the principle of redeveloping this long-vacant site and recognises the potential for the proposal to repair the Robertson Avenue streetscape.  However, the Association objects to the proposal in its current form.

The architectural elevation does not adequately align with the roofline and horizontal string courses of the adjoining traditional tenement, resulting in an unsatisfactory relationship with the established streetscape. A revised design aligning façade elements with neighbouring architectural datum lines would significantly improve contextual integration.

Clarification is also required regarding:

• the extent of ground-floor activation and the development’s contribution to the street environment;
• the building’s capacity to be adapted to mainstream residential use in future.

The Association also reiterates its concern regarding the cumulative concentration of PBSA within the Gorgie and Dalry corridor. While modest in scale individually, such developments may collectively undermine balanced communities if not carefully managed.

A revised design addressing the issues identified above would significantly improve the proposal’s relationship with its context and its contribution to the wider neighbourhood.