Request For Hearing: Planning Application 22/03834/FUL (Student Accommodation) 72-74 Eyre Place
Foysol Choudhury Labour MSP for Lothian said: “I am delighted the Councillors on the Planning Development Sub Committee have all agreed a Hearing for this application which had almost 400 objections.
“I was so disappointed the Planning officers were recommending approval of the Eyre Place application.
“I contacted the Development Management Sub-Committee asking for a Hearing and I am delighted they have agreed to my request.
“The Hearing will give an opportunity for the concerns of the local residents and groups to be heard. I hope that following the Hearing, Councillors will reject the application.
“Having visited Eyre Place myself on 23 September 2022 and discussing with the residents of Rodney Place, I concur with their objections.
“Local residents and community groups object to the overall scale of the development, its overbearing presence blocking natural light for neighbours, and dense accommodation which would overburden local infrastructure and amenities.
“The massing and height would lead to an overdevelopment of the site, with the potential to result in adverse impacts on residential amenities.
“The proposal, overall, is not compatible with the character of the area neither in terms of the proposed use nor its design, the approach for which is incongruous and alien to the established urban form in terms of roofscape and appearance.
“I am also concerned that a storey of the student flats will be dedicated to ‘entertainment’ and karaoke booths and can understand why local residents are worried about noise levels.”
Local Green councillor Jule Bandel also objected to the application and argued the case for a hearing. She said on Twitter: “Delighted that committee has approved the hearing requests! This will give the community a chance to properly explain why the proposed student accommodation is unsuitable for the site & area. Well done everyone!”
The Invereleith councillor said earlier: “Disappointed that officials have recommended the proposed student accommodation at Eyre Place for approval.
‘The points I made in my objection in September still stand & I have submitted hearing requests to allow the community to properly make their case: https://bit.ly/3vPb5t6“
Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Following many residents contacting me with their concerns about the planning application for student housing in Eyre Place, I visited the planning application site.
“I met with local residents to discuss their concerns and when you stand in the garden of residents, it is only then that you get an idea of the scale and impact the development would have on all the residents.
“I agree with their objections. Their major concerns are the overall scale of the development, its overbearing presence blocking natural light for neighbours, and dense accommodation which would overburden local infrastructure and amenities.
“The massing and height would lead to an overdevelopment of the site, potentially negatively impacting residential amenities. The proposal, overall, is not compatible with the character of the area in terms of use or design.
“My constituents are also concerned that the top storey of the flats will be dedicated to ‘entertainment’ and karaoke booths and are understandably worried about noise levels.
“I want to make sure that my constituents all have a good standard of living and a comfortable home and therefore I want to see that proposed developments do not reduce sunlight or an open outlook and do not increase noise and disturbance.”
Developer HUB and Bridges Fund Management (“Bridges”), a specialist sustainable and impact investor, have submitted plans for a residential-led development on Beaverhall Road.
The scheme will provide 205 Build to Rent homes, including 52 affordable homes, as well as creative workspace co-designed with locals and a new publicly accessible courtyard.
The proposals for Beaverhall Road will replace an existing warehouse building, with a contemporary scheme that maintains the site’s status as a hub for the local creative community, while bringing new homes to the area.
New public realm, Makers Yard, will sit at the heart of the scheme, acting as a focal point for both residents and commercial tenants, as well as neighbours. The scheme will also feature a large mural, displayed on one of the external walls.
As with all HUB and Bridges projects, people and planet are at the heart of the scheme. The new development makes efficient use of a brownfield city centre site and will deliver ‘tenure-blind’ homes for all ages, meaning all residents’ homes will be of the same high quality.
The plans exceed current Scottish sustainability regulations and include a communal air source heat pump to provide environmentally responsible heating for the entire building and a biodiverse green roof.
Designed by architects shedkm, the scheme has been developed in close collaboration with the local community and current businesses, with the ground floor creative workspace co-designed by the existing tenants.
Situated in Canonmills, the proposed development is within easy reach of the city centre, while benefiting from a sense of community created by the area’s existing amenities.
Situated within walking distance from both Stockbridge, close to the Royal Botanic Gardens, and Leith, which Time Out recently named one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods, the HUB and Bridges scheme will allow residents to explore the best that the city has to offer.
Tom Valente, Development Manager at HUB, said: “We are hugely excited to have submitted plans for one of our first schemes in Edinburgh.
“We were struck by the vibrancy of the creative community in the area and knew immediately that we wanted to maintain that by placing studios and maker spaces at the heart of the development.
“The mix of Build to Rent and creative workspace is one that we know works fantastically well in terms of fostering a sense of community and making places where people choose to live.”
Residential developer HUB and Bridges Fund Management, a sustainable and impact investor, have acquired the 1.25-acre Beaverhall House site in Canonmills, Edinburgh.
With the aim of delivering the scheme in 2025, HUB will soon begin extensive community engagement to help shape their plans. Public consultation will run September through to November.
This is the ninth deal on which HUB and Bridges have partnered and builds on their successful track record of delivering well-designed, community-focused residential schemes across the UK.
In line with HUB and Bridges’ focus on delivering homes in well-connected locations, the site is ideally located just a 15-minute walk from the heart of Edinburgh and close to the green spaces to the north, including the Botanical Gardens and Water of Leith.
Damien Sharkey, Managing Director at HUB, said: “This scheme continues our strategy of acquiring sites in ‘lifestyle’ cities – places with strong fundamentals and demand for high quality housing.
“We have been seeking the right opportunity in Edinburgh for some time. Canonmills in particular is the perfect location to create a hub where you have everything you need on your doorstep, catering to the changing ways we want to live and work post-pandemic.
“We are excited to bring HUB’s proven experience of delivering beautifully designed mixed-use schemes in strategic locations to Edinburgh.”
Simon Ringer, Head of Property Funds at Bridges Fund Management, said: “There is a clear need for more lower-cost and affordable housing right across the UK, not least in Edinburgh where affordability is an increasing issue.
“Since 2014 we’ve successfully partnered with HUB on a number of projects, which are on course to deliver over 1,500 high-quality units – including a significant number of affordable homes.
“We’re very pleased that we now have an opportunity to expand this proven model into Edinburgh. We believe this scheme can deliver significant positive impact for the Canonmills area.”
Scarlett Land & Development advised HUB and Bridges on the acquisition. Turley is acting as planning consultant.
The next meeting of this group is Tuesday 17th August at 6pm on Teams (link below)
Please find attached:
Minute of previous meeting of 24th June 2021
Agenda for meeting of 17th August 2021
NEP report (Roads and Housing Revenue Account HRA)
Transport Infrastructure Investment report
We have no Community Grants applications to consider at this meeting, but Cllr Barrie is still looking for volunteers to join a Funding Panel that will consider any applications in future.
We are particularly keen to have anyone representing projects in the Drylaw Telford area.
Please get back to me if you are willing to assist in this.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is disappointed that the project to transform the Powderhall Railway path into a green corridor has been delayed due to the Spaces for People initiative.
In a letter to the MSP from Edinburgh Council, the Active Travel Department said that “Progress on this has been delayed by the need to re-allocate staff resources to develop and deliver temporary Spaces for People (SfP) schemes”.
The feasibility study into transitioning the disuses railway line into a green corridor is due later this summer, with Network Rail amendable to amendable to the “repurposing of the Powderhall spur line into high-quality urban green corridor for people to walk, cycle and wheel on”.
Network Rail have said the railway line is still classed as operational railway, because the track that leads there is still connected to the wider rail network.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“I am pleased that talks with Network Rail are going well and they are open to transforming the Powderhall spur line into a high quality green corridor.
“It is disappointing that the project team looking at the Green Corridor transformation has been delayed due to working on Spaces for People schemes.
“This is a great opportunity to create a safe green space to connect Powerhall to Meadowbank and beyond.
“The new Powderhall Green Corridor will be excellent for people to walk, cycle and wheel on, as well as fitting in with Edinburgh’s Active Travel strategy.”
Investment in Low Carbon Urban Housing and City Centre Redevelopment across Edinburgh and Glasgow drives ambitious growth plans
Artisan Real Estate is strengthening its market position in Scotland with the announcement of a new management team as the developer moves forward with its £140 million investment plan focusing on low carbon city centre residential redevelopment across Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Experienced property professional David Westwater will join Artisan this month as Scottish Regional Manager, following 40 years of industry experience including Frasers Property UK, Interserve plc and most recently, as Development Director at Robertson Property.
Westwater (above) will help take forward Artisan’s ambitious plans to progress low carbon housing development with mixed-use regeneration across prime city centre brownfield sites – including a £98 million residential investment for Edinburgh alone.
Building on the existing expertise, Artisan is also currently recruiting a Scottish commercial and technical manager to further add to the team’s expansion, complementing the dedicated locally based sales and marketing team.
Artisan has witnessed a significant expansion of its home-building operation in Scotland during the past 12-months, building on its more established track record as one of the UK’s most recognised and award-winning city centre regeneration specialists.
The developer will shortly begin construction on Rowanbank Gardens, an industry-leading, sustainable residential development delivering 126 high-end apartments in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh.
The development, on a former brownfield site, provides smart energy-efficient design geared to achieving low to zero carbon ratings whilst responding to the rapidly changing requirements of home buyers and the wider community following lockdown.
Artisan’s first residential development in Scotland, the 180-apartment Canonmills Garden overlooking the Water of Leith to the north of Edinburgh city centre, has now sold 85% of all available properties as it approaches completion later this year.
Welcoming the expansion of its Scottish operation, Artisan’s UK Property Director Clive Wilding, says: “These are exciting times for Artisan Real Estate in Scotland, and the strengthening of our team reflects the significant progress we have made during the last 12 months, despite the very obvious challenges faced during lockdown.
“Our current focus is developing prime brownfield sites across city centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, delivering low carbon, multi-tenure housing with no fossil fuel, linked to high quality external spaces and integrated with a range of green transport options.
“We are delivering niche urban developments in the most exciting parts of the city centre, creating a high-value premium product for a wide range of homebuyers. And we have a very exciting residential pipeline and are actively identifying and securing new opportunities across Scotland’s major city centre areas – a process which will be hugely boosted by our expanded dedicated residential and commercial Scottish operation.”
Artisan is also consolidating its market position as an urban regeneration specialist with a number of high-profile mixed-use commercial redevelopment projects across Scotland.
Construction work on the £80 million transformation of the Custom House building in Glasgow overlooking the River Clyde continues apace with a four-star, 294-bed Clayton Hotel and a 162-bedroom Adagio Apart-Hotel set to create a vibrant riverside quarter when it opens in 2022.
Plaudits are still being received for Artisan’s £250 million New Waverley development (above) at the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, completed in 2020.
The development’s Queen Elizabeth House, now the flagship UK Government hub now home to 2,900 civil servants, was recently recognised by the British Council for Offices and was awarded its Innovation Award, gaining national profile for the development.
Jaco Jansen, Artisan’s Chief Executive Officer adds: “Artisan has an amazing opportunity in Scotland to set a new benchmark for high quality urban regeneration in sensitive city-centre environments – whether it be commercial, residential or mixed-use. This supports our other regional businesses, each with a similar focus in Bristol and Leeds.
“Our track record in Scotland has given us a strong understanding of the importance of high quality placemaking, which is at the heart of all Artisan’s developments. We are an ambitious and hungry company with an increasing appetite for bespoke developments in the best city centre areas. We are looking forward to expanding our footprint across Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
Home sales at Artisan Real Estate’s Canonmills Garden development in Edinburgh are continuing to defy the challenges of lockdown, with almost three-quarters of all available apartments now sold.
Savvy home buyers are increasingly taking advantage of Artisan’s smart web-based technology, combined with the human touch, to enjoy the new home sales experience and make buying decisions – all whilst staying at home.
New computer-generated images just released by the developer show how one of the bedrooms in the Canonmills Garden show home can be transformed into a spectacular working from home environment, adding a touch of luxury and comfort to the ‘stay at home’ experience. And it’s a message which is delivering results with 98s ales and reservations now confirmed out of the 135 apartments available for private sale.
Canonmills Garden brings together a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and colony-style properties which has firmly established itself as the new blueprint for post-lockdown living.
Generous and airy internal dimensions combine with large balconies and terraces overlooking private gardens and the Water of Leith – all underpinned with the latest in smart design and energy efficient technology.
Artisan’s Regional Sales Team Leader, Christie Turner believes the ‘virtual’ selling platform has been a major factor in the continued sales success at Canonmills Garden. “Artisan is an independent, niche developer which, from the start, gave us the freedom to react quickly to the challenges of lockdown,” she says.
“We have now created a strong sales proposition which reflects the challenges of our times by making our website-based visitor experience more user-friendly, introducing chat-boxes directly linked to our sales team as well as cutting-edge interactive graphics including virtual presentations and 3D apartment walk-throughs and plot-selectors.”
As well investing in new technology, Artisan has also continued to bring the human touch to the home-sales process. The developer was one of the first in Scotland to open a brand-new show home once initial lockdown restrictions were eased in the summer of 2020. The Show Home and marketing suite currently remains open despite lockdown restrictions, with enhanced personal safety measures and a pre-booking system allowing potential buyers to get a safe and uninterrupted, socially distanced real-life experience of living at Canonmills Garden.
Christie adds: “The Show Home experience at Canonmills Garden has been a hugely popular lockdown activity with almost 300 visitors passing through our doors so far.
“There’s definitely been a ‘wow factor’ as our customers experience the size and scale of the apartments for the first time. Their reaction as they walk in has been amazing – especially when they experience the light and airy living spaces for the first time, as well as the quality of the flooring and the fittings in the kitchen and bathroom.
“Buyers have quickly seen that Artisan is not your typical house-builder. The specification of Canonmills Garden is amongst the highest in Scotland, with premium Kitchens International kitchens and Victor Paris bathrooms throughout.
“Generous internal proportions and access to private gardens or balconies mean that buyers are getting tremendous value for money in a much sought-after corner of the city, close to the vibrant Stockbridge area.”
Sales at Canonmills Garden are continuing apace with two first-phase blocks now sold out, with all 72% of apartments sold off-plan. A range of apartments is still available with prices starting at £313,000.
Canonmills Garden, Artisan Real Estate’s stylish new homes development in Edinburgh, is in the running for two prestigious accolades in this year’s Scottish Home Awards which takes place this week.
The boutique development, overlooking the Water of Leith to the north of the city centre, is a finalist in the hotly contested Apartment Development of the Year and the blue-riband Large Housing Development of the Year categories.
The Scottish Homes Awards were originally planned for March this year but have been rearranged as a virtual event due to the ongoing restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. And, despite similar restrictions also facing the homes-selling sector in recent times, Canonmills Garden has more than risen to the challenge with over two-thirds of homes now sold.
Charlotte Swanson, Artisan’s Regional Development Manager, believes the ‘virtual’ setting for the Scottish Homes Awards is a fitting platform for Canonmills Garden, which has seen the majority of its homes sold in a virtual environment.
“Artisan is an independent, niche developer which, from the start, gave us the freedom to react quickly to the challenges of lockdown,” she says.
“We created a strong sales proposition which reflects the challenges of our times by making our website-based visitor experience even more user friendly, introducing chat-boxes directly linked to our sales team as well as cutting-edge interactive graphics including virtual presentations and 3D apartment walk-throughs.
“We had a huge advantage in that, even before lockdown, we were pushing a 60 per-cent success rate despite all sales being off-plan and all marketing activity up to that point being conducted off site.”
Artisan’s boutique development, a spectacular mix of 180 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and colony-style properties, was first launched in 2018 and has firmly established itself as the new blueprint for post-lockdown living.
Generous and airy internal dimensions combine with large balconies and terraces overlooking private gardens and the Water of Leith – all underpinned with the latest in smart design and energy efficient technology.
Artisan was subsequently one of the first developers to open a show home and marketing suite once the initial lockdown restrictions were relaxed, reintroducing the human touch to the homes-sales process. And the results, so far, have been spectacular with sales at Canonmills Garden continuing apace with two first-phase blocks now sold out – including 70% already sold off-plan. The first residents will be moving in during the first quarter of 2020
With consumer confidence continuing to return to the market, prices and value are increasing with the average value of apartments growing by seven per-cent since the development’s marketing launch in 2018. The Canonmills Garden show home, designed by well-known Scottish Interior Designer Carol Yates, is now available to visit.
Edinburgh Homes Development Reveals the ‘Wow Factor’ for Post Lockdown Living
The much-anticipated Canonmills Garden show home and marketing suite has opened to the general public, giving potential home buyers a fascinating insight into the possibilities of post-lockdown living.
There’s been a huge amount of interest in the show home so far, with an online booking system in place allowing tours to be carried out safely and in a controlled environment.
Priority tours have already been carried out for existing purchasers at the niche development by Artisan Real Estate, which is a spectacular mix of 180 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and colony-style properties overlooking the Water of Leith in Canonmills, to the north of Edinburgh city centre.
With almost two-thirds of apartments now sold since the development first hit the market last year, purchasers have been delighted with their first glimpse of what their new homes could look like.
“There’s definitely been a ‘wow factor’ as our customers experience the size and scale of the apartments for the first time,” explains Artisan’s Sales Supervisor Christie Turner.
“Up to now, we have sold all 64% of the properties off-plan, so it’s great to be able to now reveal to our purchasers exactly what they have bought.
“And so far, their reaction as they walk in has been amazing to see – especially when they experience the light and airy living spaces for the first time, as well as the quality of the flooring and the fittings in the kitchen and bathroom.”
The show home has been designed by well-known Scottish Interior Designer Carol Yates, with post-lockdown living very much in mind. Scandinavian influences combine with the solid oak flooring, adding a natural texture to the rooms. And while it is a minimalist layout, accents of colour and vibrancy have been introduced with soft-layered fabrics and cushions to bring depth, warmth and vibrancy to the show home.
Sales at Canonmills Garden are continuing apace despite the challenges of recent months with two first-phase blocks now sold out, with only one colony property remaining.
And with consumer confidence returning following the easing of lockdown, prices and value are also increasing at Canonmills Garden with the average value of apartments growing by seven per-cent since the development’s marketing launch in 2019.
A range of apartments is now available at Canonmills Garden with prices starting at £249,500. For more information, visit: www.canonmillsgarden.com. To book an exclusive VIP tour of the new show home, click here:
