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“
First-time buyers and others on low to medium incomes are being encouraged to take advantage of the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme to help buy a home in 2023.
The scheme allows people to buy a home without having to fund its entire cost and is available across Scotland to these people who face particular barriers to the housing market:
people aged 60 and over
first time buyers
social renters (people who rent from the council or a housing association)
disabled people
members of the armed forces
veterans who have left the armed forces within the past two years
widows, widowers and other bereaved partners of service personnel for up to two years after their partner has lost their life while serving
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “We recognise the challenges people are facing in this cost of living crisis and we want to help as many people as possible to buy an affordable home this new year.
“This scheme puts applicants on a more level playing field with other buyers when purchasing an affordable home. Buyers can purchase a share of a property while holding the full title, with the Scottish Government funding the remaining share under a shared equity agreement.
“Scotland continues to be a great place to buy a first home and has led the way in the delivery of affordable housing across the UK. We have now delivered almost 113,000 affordable homes since 2007, over 79,000 of which were for social rent.
“If you’re from one of the priority groups and would like to own a home, I’d encourage you to consider the Open Market Shared Equity scheme.”
“Housing concerns make up over a quarter of my casework – the Scottish Government urgently needs to start prioritising housing for Scotland”
Over the past year, housing issues have made up a significant amount of my casework – currently, approximately 25% of casework is concerned with housing issues (writes Labour Lothian list MSP FOYSUL CHOUDHURY).
Most housing issues that constituents are writing to me about relate to the lack of suitable council accommodation, with many having to live in temporary accommodation.
Recently, a coroner reported that the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak was a direct result of the black mould in the flat he lived in and constituents have, understandably, been concerned about black mould in their properties.
The Tory Government has inflicted chaos on the country this year, with a staggering display of financial mismanagement. However, funding for local authorities in Scotland is set by the Scottish government, and it is SNP-inflicted austerity that has left Scotland’s local services under threat.
There has been a cut of more than a quarter to the house building budget. This is a disgraceful dereliction of the duty of this Government to solve our ongoing housing crisis and will lead to less homes being built for those families stuck in temporary accommodation, people sleeping on the streets, or languishing on social housing waiting lists for year after year.
Rapid rehousing transition plans and homelessness prevention are flat, meaning that there will be no more support available for local authorities to deal with the continuing crisis of homelessness, made worse by the supply of new homes being cut off.
NHS waiting times, health issues (including delayed discharge), continue to be a major problem in Lothian, with approximately 11% of my casework being related to these issues.
In Scotland, the length of time that people are having to wait for hospital procedures, outpatient appointments and diagnostic tests has shot up to 776,341 – equivalent to 1 in 7 Scots. Figures have revealed that at the end of September 2022, 2,114 people referred for an outpatient appointment and 7,612 patients waiting for a day case, or inpatient procedure had already been waiting for over two years.
These shocking figures have been reflected by the high number of constituents who have contacted me about the length of time that they are having to wait for appointments, hospital procedures, or the length of time they have had to wait in A&E.
For example, some in Lothian are being told that they may have to wait approximately 70 weeks for some eye laser treatments and over 110 weeks for some exploratory gynaecological operations.
The stress and anxiety caused by such long waits can lead to other mental and physical problems or exacerbate conditions that are already present. Constituents have also contacted me about delayed discharge from hospital due to the lack of social care available, or places in care homes.
Despite the SNP promises to end delayed discharge back in 2015, this practice has soared and in October 2022, an average of 1,898 bed days were lost every day – the worst figure on record.
I will continue to press the Scottish Government on these and other important issues, like the cost of living crisis, and will continue to make representations on behalf of my Lothian constituents as we head into the new year.
October House Price Index from Walker Fraser Steele
Prices rising in 29 Local Authorities over the year
East Ayrshire has largest annual growth on the mainland at 14.9%
Record prices in 10 high-value areas
2022 likely to see greatest number of sales in excess of £750k
Table 1. Average House Prices in Scotland for the period October 2021 – October 202
Scott Jack, Regional Development Director at Walker Fraser Steele, comments:“The housing market across the UK has endured a tumultuous time over the past couple of months and yet – notwithstanding the stresses it has been under – our data reveals that average house prices in Scotland in October rose by some £700, or by 0.3%.
“We think two things have influenced this figure. Firstly, the lack of supply of the right kind of properties, those with more space for working and living from home, persists which supports the average price in general. This continued demand has to a degree provided some protection from the more challenging economic turmoil in September.
“But there is another factor to consider. Current buyers who secured finance before the financial markets’ turbulence in September stayed the course to see through their purchases.
“Our sales data from the property purchases recorded by the Office for National Statistics uses the date that a purchaser takes ownership – so decisions to buy made in August and early September, for example, may be coming through in October.
“We can be confident that many buyers were keen to continue with a purchase agreed before September’s financial chaos, as they almost certainly had been offered favourable mortgage rates by lenders.
“These two elements in concert have supported demand for properties with the average house price in Scotland rising to £224,593, establishing a new record level. Over the twelve months to the end of October, prices have risen by some £14,100, or 6.7%.”
Commentary: John Tindale, Acadata Senior Housing Analyst
The October housing market
September and October 2022 proved to be a somewhat tumultuous period in UK politics. There was the arrival of Liz Truss as Prime Minister on 6th September 2022, followed shortly thereafter by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on 8th September at Balmoral.
Politics were then put on hold for the period of national mourning, culminating in the Queen’s funeral on 19th September at Westminster and Windsor Castle. This was then followed by the mini-budget, put together by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, and delivered on 23rd September – this resulted in Sterling crashing to a new low, with inflation rates rising to levels not seen for forty years.
Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked as chancellor on 6th October, to be replaced by Jeremy Hunt – with Liz Truss departing her post as Prime Minister on 20th October, to be replaced by Rishi Sunak.
It is therefore somewhat surprising to discover that, amid all these unsettling events, average house prices in Scotland in October rose by some £700, or by 0.3%. There are perhaps some clarifying factors that might explain this increase in prices.
Firstly, the matter of timing. The purchase of a property will typically take a few months to complete, from the initial decision to buy, to the official date of entry into one’s chosen home. (When recording property purchases the ONS and Acadata use the “date of entry” as the point of sale.)
It is therefore quite possible that “October sales” are reflecting August market sentiment. Indeed, there are instances where buyers have been keen to continue with a purchase agreed before September, as the favourable mortgage rates offered by the lenders were fixed for a period of five years, providing that the property in question remained the subject of the loan.
In addition, some of the factors that resulted in the decision to purchase a home in the first instance continued, even in the changed environment – such as the desire for space, and the problem of few suitable properties being placed on the market. Demand for properties therefore remained significant, with the average house price in Scotland rising to £224,593, establishing a new record level. Over the twelve months to the end of October, prices have risen by some £14,100, or 6.7%.
Figure 1. The annual rate of house price growth in Scotland over the period October 2020 to October 2022
The RICS Residential Market Survey for October suggests that the home sales market continued to lose momentum amid deteriorating macro conditions, with indicators on new instructions and agreed sales remaining negative.
The report did however advise that respondents based in Scotland continued to report a reasonably firm upward trend in house prices continuing, even if the pace of growth was softer than earlier in the year. This is in line with our own findings, derived from the price data supplied by RoS, which includes all domestic transactions based on both cash and mortgage sales.
Sales of high-value properties in the first ten months of 2022 are at a record high, with few indications that the pace of such sales is diminishing. The three highest-value local authorities in Scotland, of Edinburgh, East Lothian and East Renfrewshire, each set a new record average house price in October.
Multimillion pound loan scheme for social landlords relaunches
Social landlords will be able to access loans to build more affordable housing as a multimillion pound investment programme reopens to applications.
Under the Charitable Bond programme, registered housing associations can access the loans with up to £80 million available in the current financial year. The interest paid will be reinvested as grants into the social rented sector, further boosting the supply of affordable housing.
Since 2014, more than £260 million in loans have been made to housing associations across every corner of Scotland through the programme, generating almost £50 million in grants.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Charitable Bond programme is an innovative way to offer funding to social landlords so that they can deliver as many homes as possible.
“The programme gives social landlords access to funding that they can’t receive elsewhere, and reinvests the interest paid on the loans – further increasing housing supply.
“Scotland has led the way in the delivery of affordable housing across the UK with almost 113,000 affordable homes built since 2007. This investment will help towards our current target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.”
The Charitable Bond programme is delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by Allia C&C, a social enterprise finance firm that arranges funding for housing associations and other charities.
Peter Freer, Director for Scotland at Allia C&C, said: “This programme provides a form of unsecured finance that isn’t otherwise available in the market to enable Scottish housing associations to deliver much needed affordable homes.
“We’re delighted to continue our successful eight-year partnership with the Scottish Government with an even greater target for investment across the sector over the next four years.”
Scott Jack, Regional Development Director at Walker Fraser Steele, comments: “As the principal drivers underpinning much of the house price growth in the Scottish house market over the last couple of years (the pandemic, record low interest rates and the fiscal stimulus of the Stamp Duty holiday) become a distant memory, it’s no surprise that the housing market reflects this.
“This is not only happening here in Scotland but is reflected across the broader UK housing market.
“The average price paid for a house in Scotland in September 2022 was £223,604 which represents a reduction of £485, or -0.2%, from the price seen in August. It is the second fall in a row for Scotland’s monthly average house price, but this follows 13 months of successive gains.
“If we take stock for a minute of the longer-term performance, we can see that while the average price has fallen in the month, it remains some £13,300, or 6.3%, higher on an annual basis than it was twelve months earlier.
“Clearly, we should not be surprised if this annual rate of price growth slows for the reasons I have outlined. But things to keep an eye on include the budget this week, the expectation that inflation is easing, and that mortgage rates and affordability will improve in the first quarter of next year, and the lack of supply that has always supported higher prices. These may all mean this reduction in house prices is less short-lived than many suspect.”
Commentary: John Tindale, Acadata Senior Housing Analyst
The September housing market
The average price paid for a house in Scotland in September 2022 was £223,604. This represents a fall of £485, or -0.2, from the price seen in August, and is the second fall in a row for Scotland’s monthly average house price, following 13 months of successive gains.
Despite the average price having fallen in the month, the price is still some £13,300, or 6.3%, higher on an annual basis than it was twelve months earlier. However, the annual rate of price growth is slowing – having nearly halved over the last three months – from the 10.4% growth in June, to September’s rate of 6.3%.
Figure 1 below gives a sense of the direction of travel in the annual price growth over the past two years. As can be seen, the peak in growth rates occurred in September 2021 at 12.8%.
This was then followed by a period of slowing rates, which had fallen to 6.4% by March 2022, but regained traction during the early summer months of 2022 as demand for homes increased, against a backdrop of a reduced supply of properties coming to the market, with annual rates reaching a high of 10.4% in June 2022.
The slowing in rates after the June peak can then be seen, to September’s figure of 6.3% – the lowest rate since the 5.9% of November 2020.
The RICS Residential Market Survey for September suggests that the home sales market continued to lose momentum amid deteriorating macro conditions, with indicators on new instructions and agreed sales remaining negative.
As we discuss in the analysis of transactions on page 4, there is some evidence that the number of sales taking place in Scotland is currently below that of the pre-Covid years, but at present the reduction is relatively slight, at -6%. In addition, the reduction does not appear to apply to all sectors of the market at the same rate.
Sales of high-value properties in the first nine months of 2022 are at a record high, with few indications that the pace of such sales is diminishing. Edinburgh continues to dominate the high-end market, with half of all sales over £750k taking place in the capital. Edinburgh and the three Lothians have all set new record average house prices in September.
Transactions analysis
Figure 2 below shows the monthly transaction count for purchases during the period from January 2007 to September 2022, based on RoS (Registers of Scotland) figures for the Date of Entry (September 2022 totals are based on RoS Application dates).
The graph starts in 2007, which was something of an exception, with close to 150,000 domestic property sales taking place in the calendar year. The 2007 sales total is the largest seen during the last 18 years, although the period from 2004 to 2006 came close, with an average 139,000 sales on an annual basis.
However, during 2008 the banking industry began to suffer from its credit crisis, with home loans becoming difficult to obtain, especially for first time buyers, with the number of housing transactions falling to approximately 70,000 per year over the period from 2009 to 2012.
Normality was slowly restored from 2013, with sales rising to a yearly average of 87,500 over the period from 2013 to 2015, rising to an average 102,000 sales per annum from 2016 to 2019. This level was still some 25% below the levels seen during the period 2004 to 2006 – it was generally believed there had been a shift in the housing market, away from owner occupation to rental premises.
The effect of the Covid pandemic – which started in March 2020 – can be clearly seen on the graph. Housing transactions in April 2020 plummeted with the arrival of the pandemic, to be followed by a slow rise in sales as confidence began to return.
Then followed a period when sales exceeded previous levels, from September 2020, as lifestyle changes and the LBTT tax-holiday pushed up demand – especially for properties with space to allow for working from home.
The March 2021 peak is also visible, which coincided with the last month of the LBTT tax-holiday. The final month typically creates a peak in transactions, as purchasers rush to take advantage of the tax- holiday before the end of the month, after which time the tax savings come to an abrupt halt.
However, what can also be seen is that in 2022 sales volumes appear to be at the lower end of the period from 2016 to 2019; for example the average level in 2022 from March to August was 8,700 sales per month, compared to 9,250 per month in 2017 – a 6% reduction in sales.
Figure 2. The number of sales per month recorded by RoS based on entry date (RoS applications date for September 2022), for the period 2007 – 2022. (Source: Registers of Scotland.)
£6 million loan fund reopens for applications tomorrow
Self-builders who are unable to access standard bank lending can now apply for a loan of up to £175,000 to help with the development costs of their home.
The Self-Build Loan Fund reopens for applications tomorrow (Monday 21 November) and aims to support the delivery of good quality and energy efficient housing, giving people more choice about the homes they want to live in.
Following the success of a pilot scheme in the Highlands the fund was launched nationally in 2018, with 41 loans worth a total of £6.2 million approved to date.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: ““This fund aims to unlock the dream of building your own home, in many cases allowing people to stay in their local communities.
“We know it can be more difficult to access finance for self-build projects than for buying an existing property, and this fund is a crucial lifeline for those unable to access standard bank lending. When loans are repaid, the money can be re-used, during the life of the fund, supporting more self-builders and providing more homes for future generations.
“Self-provided housing can play an important role contributing to the long-term sustainability of our rural and island communities, and this £6 million Scottish Government fund will continue to help support this. It has had great success in the Highlands and Islands and has also provided dream homes for people living across the whole of Scotland.
“Wherever you live, if you’re interested in building your own home I’d encourage you to contact the Communities Housing Trust to find out more.”
Kirsten, a school teacher from Shetland who benefitted from the fund, said: “We acquired our plot of land over 20 years ago. At that point there was an old croft house on the land which we initially planned to renovate.
“However, several things arose to hinder our plans. The most significant was my partner becoming long-term disabled after an accident. This meant a lot of disruption to our build plans.
“If the fund hadn’t been available we would have had to stop our build altogether and sell the plot of land. That would have meant it being harder for us to get onto the property ladder.
“It can be difficult or more costly to find a property that has larger living accommodation needed for wheelchair use. It may also have taken us away from our home area where family are nearby. I don’t know what we would have done without this fund.”
Ronnie MacRae, CEO of the Communities Housing Trust, said: “In the years we’ve administered the fund, we’ve seen demand rise as conditions become even more challenging for people to build their own home. In many cases, families just need a bit of extra support and are fully able to build and then repay the loan.
“Self-build remains an important option for many, particularly in areas where no other options exist, so we are extremely grateful to the Scottish Government for continuing to provide the fund.”
The fund is reopening after closing on 31 August 2022 to new applications.
The Self-Build Loan Fund is administered on behalf of the Scottish Government by the Communities Housing Trust.
Property developer S Harrison Developments have revealed ‘exciting proposals’ for a residential-led development at Ocean Point 2 in Leith.
Neighbouring Ocean Point 1, whose occupiers include VisitScotland, the brownfield site will aim to comprise a mix of residential homes for rent alongside other potential uses, which are currently being ascertained. These will occupy two buildings on the site.
Located in Leith, voted in October 2021 by Time Out as one of the “world’s coolest neighbourhoods”, the proposed development is conveniently situated just two miles from Edinburgh city centre and is likely to be attractive to those seeking to live and work in the area, taking advantage of local shops, bars, restaurants and cafés.
The tram line extension between Edinburgh and Ocean Terminal will also provide connectivity between the development and the city centre within 20 minutes.
Two public exhibitions on the proposals will take place on Tuesday 13th December and Thursday 9th February between 2pm and 7pm at Ocean Terminal.
Further information will also be posted on the website at:
Harrison has a long pedigree of working in the city, ranging from delivering the Malmaison at St Andrew Square to student developments at Westfield and Gorgie and hotel development at Osborne House, Haymarket.
A spokesperson for Harrison Developments commented: “We are extremely excited to reveal our proposals for this brownfield site. There are serious demands on housing supply in the city and this is a superb location in what has been voted one of the world’s ‘coolest neighbourhoods’.
“The proposals will significantly assist in the regeneration of this part of the city and we look forward to engaging with the local community, providing it with the opportunity to input their views and shape our ambitious proposals.”
New to market are eight cleared residential development sites in Western Harbour and Granton Harbour on Edinburgh’s waterfront.
The opportunity forms five sites at Western Harbour and three sites at Granton. The sites are considered highly strategic due to the potential for scaled residential development at a time when Edinburgh desperately requires more housing choice.
Western Harbour
The five waterfront residential development sites at Western Harbour total approximately 10.21 acres and are adjacent to the proposed Forth Ports masterplan.
Western Harbour boasts a range of local amenities including a David Lloyd gym, supermarkets, recreational facilities and a new primary school. The sites also neighbour vibrant Leith, voted in October 2021 by Time Out as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods following extensive regeneration.
The sites are also well-connected by bus and are set to be even more so given the Newhaven Tram extension. The tram will terminate at nearby Newhaven Village (due to complete in Spring 2023) and it will offer access to Edinburgh city centre with a travel time of approximately 30 minutes, through to Edinburgh Airport via Edinburgh’s West End.
With the potential for c. 600 units, subject to planning, the sites are identified for housing-led-development within the Western Harbour Masterplan. The Western Harbour Masterplan is a housing led mixed-use development anticipated to comprise c. 3,000 residential units with retail and commercial space over 120 acres.
Granton Harbour
There are a further 3 sites at Granton Harbour (which forms part of the wider Granton Waterfront Development). The Granton project is located just three miles north of the city centre and the largest regeneration project of its kind in Scotland and recognised as one of the most exciting in Europe.
The three development sites on offer at Granton Harbour total approximately 3.94 acres and provide an opportunity to create a scaled residential or mixed-tenure development. They also neighbour the proposed Edinburgh Marina Development, which comprises a 429-boat marina, serviced apartments, new housing, commercial and retirement living complexes.
There are also proposals for a future tram extension running along the Granton Waterfront, forming part of a new Granton circular route.
The sites are allocated for housing development under the approved Granton Harbour Masterplan. The overall Granton Waterfront Development provides over 60 acres of newly developed and regenerated land, supported with an investment of over £1.3 billion.
Joint sales agents for the development sites are Scarlett Land and Development and Reith Lambert.
Will Scarlett from Scarlett Land and Development said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing these eight well recognised sites to market.
“The portfolio provides a rare opportunity in Edinburgh to deliver large scale residential development across multiple tenures and we anticipate strong interest noting this potential.“
Drew Lambert from Reith Lambert said: “Large-scale prime residential sites such as this are a rarity in Edinburgh; these sites are ideally placed, with an excellent range of amenities and well-connected transport links on offer.”
The Scottish Government’s decision to reduce by 4,500 homes the number of houses to be developed in Edinburgh has been questioned by Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian following the Ministerial Statement on National Planning Framework 4.
Ms. Boyack asked the Planning Minister, Tom Arthur, to explain why the number of houses to be developed in Edinburgh has been reduced by 4,500 homes at a time when the city is facing a long-standing deepening crisis.
The MSP for Lothian raised also issues around the capacity of GPs to cope with rising demand and asked about whether new GP and local health services will be included in planning application for the new housing being proposed across the Lothian given the challenges the region is already facing in terms of GP capacity in areas where significant new development is being planned.
The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a long-term plan for Scotland that sets out where development and infrastructure is needed.
Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) will guide national and regional spatial development and set out priorities and national planning policies up until 2045.
Commenting, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “A housing crisis affecting those on low or modest incomes, students and families looking for long term housing is unfolding not only in Edinburgh but across Scotland. The available properties are unaffordable or inaccessible for many and affordable, high-quality properties are almost non-existent.
“Reducing the number of new housing developments in Edinburgh will be catastrophic for people, the city and our local economy.
“The SNP claim they want to build a new Scotland – but they are going into reverse.
“In Musselburgh, people are struggling to access vital GP services – with rising local population and housing developments, this is rapidly becoming a pattern we see across Scotland.
“Planning applications should be considering issues around GPs’ capacity – we can’t gamble with people’s lives.
“The Minister dodged my question, offering nothing more than empty rhetoric.”
