Plans for the ‘largest and most important brownfield development in Edinburgh city centre for a generation’ were approved by the City of Edinburgh Council yesterday (Wednesday 17th February).
The development will create 350 new homes and provide 700 new jobs, giving a major economic boost to Edinburgh’s city centre and the Capital’s economy.
The construction phase alone will boost the local economy by more than £27.7 million a year while work is carried out, and the development will further boost the local economy by £35.5m each year once complete.
Work will begin soon and the New Town Quarter development could be complete as early as 2024.
Ross McNulty, Development Director at Ediston, said: “We have worked very hard to comply with all the relevant policies for such an important site. Our design has been driven by a thorough understanding of the heritage issues associated with being adjacent to Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site, and to open up the area, breathing life and activity into what is currently a redundant brownfield part of the city.
“We have conducted the largest consultation exercise ever carried out in this local community and, as a result, we have made many changes and improvements based on the feedback we have received.
“New Town Quarter will be one of the best places to live and work in one of the world’s finest cities and will help make Edinburgh’s heart beat even stronger. We are looking forward to turning our vision into a reality.”
Ediston and Orion Capital Managers are working together to deliver one of the most complex city-centre developments in the UK. New Town Quarter is a £250 million development that has involved extensive local community consultation during the last 18-months.
Planning proposals have involved complex negotiations over major infrastructure matters as well as providing sensitive consideration to environmental concerns given the proximity of the much-loved King George V Park.
Plans include creating 350 new homes as well as office accommodation that will support 700 jobs and add £35 million per annum to the city’s GDP. The construction work alone will generate nearly £27 million of economic development value and support 600 jobs.
The final proposals are expected to go before the City of Edinburgh Council Planning Committee in the near future.
Ross McNulty, Development Director of Ediston, said: “We’ve gone the extra mile to take the local community with us. We’re determined that this major development becomes a positive driver of significant economic activity for Edinburgh city centre.”
Clarification on Trees and Building Heights
We are aware that some of the information currently presented on a Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association backed-website is inaccurate and we welcome this opportunity to provide clarification.
It is not correct to state that our three planning applications are a threat to many trees being removed, as part of the development. The largest single number of trees being removed is in Eyre Place which is covered by a previous Planning Consent already agreed by the Council.
Some other trees are being removed due to the development, but the information on the website is inaccurate. In Dundas Street, trees are being removed for two important reasons. Firstly, they will not survive the demolition of the existing buildings, and secondly to restore Dundas Street’s original building line.
In King George V Park there will be a small number of trees removed to create a new entrance to link the new route from Dundas Street to the park. The Council has confirmed these trees have a limited lifespan and would need to be removed in due course but we are also providing replacements for these trees within the same area of the park.
Our team has also sought to protect the trees at Fettes Row and Royal Crescent as much as possible to protect the outlook in this location, and the continuous screen of tree cover will be retained.
We have also made a commitment to a 25-year Tree Management Plan throughout our site, as well as helping the Council deliver improved tree management within King George V Park. The number of trees to be removed in the park is entirely a Council matter.
However, along with other investment in the park, we hope to carry out works that will improve both tree cover and the park itself. It should be noted that any additional tree planting and park improvements are not being done to facilitate our development.
In total, 68 new trees are being planted – plus however many are needed for King George V Park. We have stated before that a number of the trees need to be removed on health and safety grounds, and some are internal within the site and have no impact on the local community. We expect the development to either have a neutral impact on tree removal – or potentially a positive one.
The other matter we would like to address is that great efforts have been made to minimise the impact of the development for residents in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. This includes keeping the buildings at the same height or lower than the adjacent buildings.
With regards to the impact on the park, we have conducted detailed and independent overshadowing studies that show the buildings closest to the park are not only fully compliant with Council guidelines but actually improve some aspects of existing overshadowing.
We appreciate that with any development there is change and we are acutely aware of the difficulties encountered with previous proposals and we respect residents’ right to comment on the proposals. All we are seeking is a fair hearing and a decision taken on the basis of Council and Scottish Government planning policies.
We have extensively consulted with the local community and interest groups and we would like all residents to consider the facts regarding the proposals and view them in the context of the Council and Scottish Government planning policies. The information set out in the Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association-backed website does not accurately reflect our proposals.
Tree Cover on Fettes Row and Royal Crescent
One of the main priorities for the development team was protecting the tree cover in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. New Town Quarter is well screened by trees to the south of the development and these are much appreciated by residents. The development team has worked hard to ensure that the tree screen is protected and maintained. Existing trees are largely being retained to ensure that views enjoyed by local residents can be enjoyed for a long time to come.
New and replacement trees are being provided on the street and in King George V Park. Wherever possible the development team has sought to ensure that existing trees are protected. Ross McNulty said: “Preserving the character of Fettes Row and Royal Crescent has always been one of the key objectives for the development team and we’re confident that will be achieved with our proposals.”
Current View
Proposed View
King George V Park
King George V Park is a much-loved local park. Since the early stages of the public consultation, elements of the proposals for pathways and cycling have been scaled back following feedback. We have also had further consultation with the Council to highlight the need to manage pedestrians and cyclists at the interface with the park.
The development team is also working closely with the Council to finalise additional investment in the park to help take account of the new development, as well as helping safeguard its future quality and longevity. The proposals for park investment will be finalised through a Section 75 agreement, which is currently being negotiated with the Council. Once signed, this will be a legally binding agreement.
Ross McNulty added: “We would like to thank the Friends of the Park group for engaging with us throughout the consultation process. The discussions have been thorough and complicated at times but hopefully, everyone will see the results – including replacement trees, improved pathways and investment in the park for the long-term benefit of the local community.”
Eyre Place Update
There is a separate planning application to change the site area initially proposed as a hotel to housing. The timing of this application will run behind the main application. Being aware that Eyre Place residents had concerns about overlooking from the proposed new homes, the development team has been looking at ways to address the concerns, and we believe a solution has been agreed.
Even though the current proposals would have been entirely within planning guidelines, the proposed solution has been shared with interested residents.
Ross McNulty said: “We were left in no doubt how concerned residents were regarding this aspect of the proposals and we wanted to help if we could. The housing proposals, as with the hotel, will result in improved daylighting for Eyre Place, which should also help reassure residents that we are sensitive to their interests.”
Business Benefits For the City Centre
If the New Town Quarter development progresses, it will be the first major project in Edinburgh to move forward since the start of the pandemic. As such, it has a critical role to play in boosting the regeneration of the city centre as it recovers from the crippling effects of economic lockdown.
The local area around Dundas Street brings together an interesting mix of mainly independent traders – including cafes, restaurants, bars, hairdressers and guest houses – and a recent survey of 32 local businesses which surround the New Town Quarter area showed overwhelming support for the development plans.
Many of them were hit hard when RBS vacated their premises in 2017 and are now suffering further following the ongoing trading restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The New Town Quarter will bring much-needed investment to the city centre – and most importantly, bring people back to the local area to create a vibrant and exciting new destination.
Here are some of the comments posted by local businesses who support our planning application:
“The RBS site was always a highly visible focal point for visitors and activity and all the businesses in this area benefited from it. Now, more than ever, as we recover from lockdown, we all need the site to once again be an attractive destination for both living and visiting, to both help recovery in the immediate future and over the longer-term.” – Guest House, Eyre Place
“I have gradually built up my business following the RBS relocation, but have also now been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown. We are all desperate to stay trading in the area but need a commitment that something significant is going to be happening to transform an ugly empty building and gap site right opposite us into a thriving and busy neighbourhood that will bring people back to the area.” – Barber, Dundas Street
Feedback & Contact
For more information on New Town Quarter, contact: Ross McNulty, Development Director, Ediston.
Fettes Row & Royal Crescent Association (FRRCA) is stepping up its campaign against plans to redevelop two key sites adjoining the New Town conservation area and removing scores of trees as well as encroaching upon the community amenity of George V Park.
The city council’s Development Management Sub-committee will hold a hearing on February 17 on Ediston’s plans to demolish the old RBS IT centre on Dundas Street and build some 400 flats, offices and maybe a hotel on one of the biggest such sites in the capital.
The developer plans to remove mature trees surrounding the site, including alongside and within the nearby park which is especially enjoyed by large numbers of families with children. It recently applied to remove a further four trees on Fettes Row and severely prune others as they are considered “dangerous” in an unspecified manner.
This is on top of earlier plans to remove 84 trees on the site – and build offices/flats 5m taller and 6m closer than the current IT centre in a way that will heavily overshadow the park. The developers say they will replace trees – but there is no guarantee they will.
Separately, there are plans to demolish Centrum House at 108-116 Dundas St and replace current offices with 44 flats (and three more retail units), with the proposed building reaching as far as the footpath and removing all the current trees, with no replacements. Consultation on these plans ended on January 29.
FRRCA has launched a dedicated website, www.more-trees.info with its own blindfolded teddy bear logo and the message “more trees, lower heights” as part of its campaign to persuade the council to reject the two applications and replace them with new plans more sensitive to the world heritage nature of the area and to environmental concerns.
For further info, please contact: Judith Symes, FRRCA chair via judith.symes@gmail.com and visit our Facebook page
The Cockburn Association has submitted its formal response to the @Filmhouse (Centre of Moving Image) planning application to build a new centre for film in Festival Square.
After ‘prolonged & careful consideration’, Edinburgh’s Civic Trust will be objecting to this proposal:
Join Planning Democracy’s campaign for a National Plan that puts people and planet before economy
Planning Democracy are holding a free online event on 28th January 6-8pm
Learn about the new National Planning Framework 4: what it could contain and how together we can influence what goes in it and how we can make it a planet and people friendly plan.
Decisions on important developments (housing etc) are guided through the Scotland’s National Planning Framework (NPF).
It will decide on national developments like Dundee Waterfront, Grangemouth Investment zone, flood protection areas and new national parks. It will contain important policies on housing, renewable energy and the environment.
The latest NPF4 will last until 2050 and is being drawn up NOW.
Developments included in NPF4 will be untouchable once it’s been signed off by Parliament in 2022.
But there is lots we can do before then. Join us in to find out how:
A £35 million five-year programme will make it easier for planners to work together and for members of the public to get involved in creating and shaping their places.
The new data and technology system, to begin development in early 2021, will provide a single place to access services and information about planning. This will generate up to 1,600 jobs in the construction and development sectors, and their supply chains, over the next 10 years, and bring as much as £200 million in economic benefits directly to users of the planning system.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, who will launch Scotland’s Digital Strategy for Planning tomorrow, said: “There is immense potential for digital to provide new ways to get people involved in the planning of great places.
“Our Digital Planning team has been hearing about the experiences of people who work within planning, and also of those who participate in various ways. We’ve learned about what works well, what could work better, and how digital transformation can help deliver positive impacts and outcomes at both the local and national levels.
“We’re now preparing to put our findings into action, and over the next five years we will be building a world-leading digital planning system, helping connect people with their places, influence positive change, strengthen decision-making and focus on delivery of high-quality planned development.”
Introducing new technology and ways of working in the planning system will simplify and speed up the application and assessment processes. It will give planners the tools and data they need to collaborate and improve decision making, making it easier to understand the planning process and get involved at every stage.
Transforming Places Together: Scotland’s Digital Strategy for Planning will be launched by Mr Stewart on Tuesday 24 November.
Historic Drylaw House has applied for Change of use from Class 9 (domestic) to Class 7 (hotel and hostel) including short-term self catering accommodation.
20/04410/FUL | Change of use from Class 9 (domestic) to Class 7 (hotel and hostel) including short-term self catering accommodation. | Drylaw House 32 Groathill Road North Edinburgh EH4 2SL
Comments can be submitted at the link below by Friday 20 November:
Drum Property Group is launching an online exhibition tomorrow (Thursday (November 5th) presenting updated plans for the redevelopment of the 2.9-acre Stead’s Place site, near the foot of Leith Walk.
The exhibition is the second online public consultation event that Drum has hosted in support of a Proposal for Application Notice (PAN) submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council. An initial online consultation event was launched in July 2020.
The interactive exhibition, which will be live on www.steads-place.com, will allow visitors to view updated proposals for the Stead’s Place site.
Any questions or comments can be emailed to the project’s design team from 12 noon to 8 pm on Thursday 5 November.
A feedback questionnaire can also be completed online and returned by 19 November.
The Stead’s Place site has been earmarked for development by the City of Edinburgh Council since 2008 and consists largely of an aged industrial estate and office space, together with a two-storey sandstone building facing directly on to Leith Walk.
As part of the proposed redevelopment, the sandstone building will be retained and refurbished and made available for a range of commercial uses. The existing industrial units located directly behind Leith Walk are to be demolished and replaced with a new homes-led landscaped development linking to Pilrig Park and beyond.
Welcoming this latest phase of the Stead’s Place redevelopment, Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum Property Group, said: “We remain 100% committed to investing in and improving the whole Stead’s Place site, and are looking forward to this next stage of planning consultation.
“We received positive feedback from our last public consultation in July which has contributed to our revised proposals. This includes retaining and refurbishing the two-storey sandstone building to ensure that, once again, it plays an important role in the future of the Leith Walk community.
“The rest of the site will be designated to provide much needed local housing. This will open up what is currently an inhospitable industrial site by creating an accessible living environment linked through landscaped walkways and cycle routes to Pilrig Park and the rest of the city.”
The PAN is submitted in advance of any future planning application and gives an outline intention of the developers plan for the site, prior to a period of public consultation.
For more information on the Drum PAN for Stead’s Place and the public consultation, visit: www.steads-place.com
The building will be located next to Trinity Academy and create a new campus with the sports pavilion being the first phase in a proposed redevelopment of the school’s facilities.
It will include a four-court sports hall, gym hall, dance studio and fitness suite, and will become the new home to the school’s PE department.
The Council’s Sport and Outdoor Learning Unit will also have a base in the centre so they can support outdoor learning in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.
Cllr Ian Perry, Education Convener, said: “It’s great news that these plans have been approved today as the school and wider local community are really going to benefit from these purpose-built sport and outdoor centre buildings.
“The new sports venue will boast a four court hall, gym hall, dance studio and fitness suite and although it will primarily be used by Trinity Academy for school PE, wider community groups will also have access to the facilities.”
Cllr Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: “This is going to be an excellent new facility for Trinity Academy pupils and the wider community. I look forward to seeing the plans presented to us today being taken forward and built for school children and other community groups to enjoy.
“Providing high quality facilities for health and well-being is a vital part of planning in 21st century Edinburgh.”
