Tag: Bonnington Road Lane

Green light for Bonnington Build-to-Rent scheme

PLATFORM_’s planning application for a Build-to-Rent (BTR) scheme at Bonnington Road Lane was ‘minded to grant with conditions’ by the City of Edinburgh Council Development Management Sub-Committee yesterday.

PLATFORM_ intends to build 453 BTR units, including 25% affordable housing. BTR is an innovative housing solution where homes are built, rented, and managed over the longer term. They are not for sale.

The site extends from the former Bonnington Resource Centre at the southern edge and over the recently demolished John Lewis depot to the north.

The development is a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes, and studios, and will benefit from on-site concierge and maintenance staff. The proposals also include communal amenity spaces such as a residents’ lounge, roof terraces, a Bike Café and Workshop and gym.

To help create a vibrant atmosphere, the proposals also include retail and employment space at ground level which will be available to residents, start-up companies, and other workers.

Additionally, the development will create a public pocket park, a new pedestrian priority public street connecting Bonnington Road Lane and Anderson Place, and will replant 80 additional trees across the site.

PLATFORM_ has undertaken an extensive community and stakeholder engagement programme.

A community consultation was held in December 2019 and readvertised again in December 2020 to demonstrate improvements made since the original May 2020 submission.

Proposals were recommended for approval ahead of yesterday’s meeting after thorough discussions and collaboration with city planners.

Turley provided planning support and architectural design was produced by jmarchitects. Hirst were the landscape architects and Harley Haddow the project engineers.

A spokesperson for PLATFORM_ said: “We are very pleased to have received approval for our high-quality Build-to-Rent scheme at Bonnington Road Lane.

“The development will offer residents flexibility on a wide range of housing needs. The project will support the delivery of regeneration within the local area.

“Our key aim is to create quality, sustainable, and responsibly managed properties and we are looking forward to delivering this for Edinburgh.

“We will continue to update the community as the project develops and look forward to working with our partners across Edinburgh to deliver this exciting development.”

Planning application submitted for Build-to-Rent development on Bonnington Road Lane

A planning application for the development of high-quality Build-to-Rent (BTR) accommodation has been submitted by property developer and operator, PLATFORM_.

Located at the site of the derelict John Lewis depot/warehouse, Edinburgh, the proposals seek to introduce a high-quality BTR scheme at the heart of Edinburgh with 527 units. PLATFORM_ funds and ultimately manage a finished building with a desire and vested interest to produce a quality development.

Build-to-Rent (BTR) is a relatively recent model for new residential buildings in the UK, where all the properties are built for rent, not for sale.

PLATFORM_’s model represents an affordable and integrated offering where residents live not just in their apartments but can use the entirety of the building equipped with a gym, communal workspaces, bike club and a fulltime concierge service.

Across the UK currently, PLATFORM_ developments are home to residents with an age range between 19-66 years. Nearly 60% of successful applicants within PLATFORM_ schemes earned less than £30,000 per annum, and the median salary of a PLATFORM_ resident is £29,510. 12% were classified as key workers, including teachers, police officers, and NHS staff. The median full-time salary in Edinburgh is £32,182.

The new homes will be a mix of studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments spread across three blocks ranging from 4 to 7 storeys. All PLATFORM_ units are available to rent, meaning that less are used as second homes or remain unoccupied, and in turn, more homes are available for people to rent.

jmarchitects worked on the scheme, and the planning consultants were Turley. Engineers were Harley Haddow; landscape architects were Hirst, cost consultants were Thomas & Adamson.

Matt Willock, Development Director at PLATFORM_, said: “We’re thrilled to submit this application for our BTR scheme in Edinburgh. Bonnington Road Lane is an ideal location to spearhead PLATFORM_’s vision in Edinburgh. 

“Not only will we develop the site, but we will operate the building. Our residents may rent an apartment, but will also have an abundance of common amenities at their disposal, including a gym, communal workspaces, a bike club, and rooftop gardens.”

“These proposals not only serve to redevelop a vital location, but help to tackle Edinburgh’s crisis in realistic housing, especially in Edinburgh city centre. BTR is a new, upward trend that offers high-quality rented accommodation at competitive prices for a wide-ranging demographic. Across the UK, nearly 60 per cent of our residents earn less than £30,000 a year.

“We’ve consulted widely and diligently with stakeholders in Edinburgh and the public in Leith to ensure they’ve had an opportunity to input their views about the proposals. The plans represent a collaborative discussion about how best to make this site work.”