Changes proposed to ease congestion around Picardy Place
Plans to re-introduce the left turn from Leith Walk onto London Road in Edinburgh will be considered by the Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday (23 May).
After the completion and opening of the new Trams to Newhaven line the project team has continued to monitor a number of issues raised along the route including the lack of left turns and accessibility from Leith Walk heading east which has resulted in increased congestion in and around the Picardy Place area causing delays to public transport.
Following the period of monitoring and public feedback the report to the Committee next week proposes re-introducing the left turn which will include these measures:
A minimum of 10 seconds for traffic to use it
When the left turn goes off the ahead signal will remain on allowing pedestrian and cyclists to come over from London Road and
The overall time for the two stages would be the same as currently operating for the ahead only and pedestrian stage
The proposed changes are not anticipated to have any impact on Elm Row bus stops and will benefit the overall traffic flow around Picardy Place, Leith Street and Broughton Street.
Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It was important for us to give the successful new tram line to Newhaven time to bed in, and, as with any major transport infrastructure project we continued to review the traffic management arrangements in the area.
“After this monitoring process, and in response to public feedback (i.e. complaints? – Ed.) and discussions with Lothian Buses, we’re proposing to re-introduce the left hand turn from Leith Walk onto London Road. Importantly thanks to the plans we’re also maintaining single phase crossing for both pedestrians and cyclists crossing over from London Road.
“The overall positive impact of these changes will support Lothian Buses and their operations while also easing congestion in and around Picardy Place and associated streets.
“The previous Transport and Environment Committee made the decision to close the turn in good faith some time ago, but it is now clear the prohibition has been detrimental to the flow of public transport through the area.”
If the plans are approved next week then the statutory process will begin under the Trams to Newhaven Temporary Traffic Regulation Order.
THE WILLOW NO MORE – another local boozer bites the dust
A planning application by Alumno Group for high-quality purpose-built student accommodation, including ground floor commercial space at Jock’s Lodge, has been submitted to City of Edinburgh Council.
The proposals by the specialist student accommodation provider are located on the corner of Restalrig Road South and London Road.
The development will include 191 student rooms and the constrained nature of the site on a busy main arterial route means that it is well suited to student accommodation. This will serve to address rapidly increased demand and provide a much-needed boost for local businesses through delivering increased footfall.
Existing local businesses on the site all agreed to its sale and are committed to the redevelopment of the site, as current facilities are no longer commercially viable.
Development will comprise a mix of single bedrooms with shared kitchens and larger studio style bedrooms. Facilities provided will include a ground floor lounge, study, gym and social spaces, with generous cycle storage provision, laundry and storage.
External amenity provision includes a rear landscaped courtyard and external terraces at roof level. Largely car-free, the development will have two parking spaces included, one of which will be an accessible/disabled parking space.
Following an extensive pre-application and public engagement process, a series of design changes and developments have been realised:
The overall massing was reduced from 8 to 7 storeys, while revised floor-to-floor heights and a shortening of the parapet has significantly reduced the building height further.
The commercial area offering has been increased, with additional provision for an outdoor terraced area. The proposed commercial space will include a new community local food and drink use, replacing the neighbouring Limelite pub, but under the same local ownership.
Let by Heineken UK, the Willow pub, which currently operates on the site, has been relocated to Musselburgh and is now trading as Willow on High Street following an agreement with Heineken. It will operate both at this new location and it is hoped at Jock’s Lodge until the latter is redeveloped.
Prior to taking on a temporary management agreement for The Willow at Jock’s Lodge, the operators were advised of the planned sale of the site by Heineken, who identified it for disposal due to a chequered trading history.
They were offered it on a limited tenure and opted to take it on that basis while the negotiations to redevelop the site were finalised. The operators currently operate on a very minimum rent/utility-free basis.
Alumno has a strong reputation for commissioning new artworks for its developments and is working with arts consultant, Matthew Jarratt, to deliver a series of sculpture and other artwork commissions which will be integrated into the new building and public realm by Edinburgh-based artist, Kenny Hunter.
Local artists and students/recent graduates from Edinburgh College of Art will also be engaged in design projects and given the opportunity to showcase their works at the site.
Having assessed the number of existing and proposed purpose-built student accommodation developments in the area, along with analysing the existing concentration of students, it is clear there is not a significant number of new purpose-built student accommodation overall in this area when set against an Edinburgh context.
Even if the development is delivered, the concentration of students will remain within an acceptable threshold. If approved, the eight developments that are within a mile radius of the site (including Jock’s Lodge), will amount to 1,666 bedrooms, giving a student population of 4.3 per cent in terms of purpose-built accommodation in that location. Combined with other students i.e. those not living in purpose-built accommodation, this results in a total of 3,523 students or 8.9 per cent of the population.
In addition, if approved, the number of full-time students living in the Craigentinny/ Duddingston ward (in which the Jocks Lodge site sits) will only rise to 10.1 per cent of the resident population if all the accommodation that is currently in use, has been approved, or is at application stage, is delivered.
This level would still be significantly lower than the proportions of full-time students living in the Southside/Newington, City Centre, Meadows/Morningside and Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart wards.
It is anticipated that spending in the local area by the students living at the Jock’s Lodge development is estimated to be more than £900,000 per year, and at its peak during the construction phase it is estimated that the site will employ a workforce of up to 40.
David Campbell, founder of Alumno said: “This exciting mixed-use scheme will serve to ease the acute housing pressures by providing greater options whilst addressing the increasing and well documented student housing demand by providing modern, high quality and well managed accommodation.
“We have listened to the responses of the local community through our thorough consultation process and have reduced the height of the building to accommodate this feedback.
“Employment and investment will be generated both during construction and once complete, increasing footfall to local shops and also serving to provide a new sustainable food/drink outlet for the community, including outdoor space. We are committed to being a good neighbour and believe our plans will make the best and most positive impact on what is a highly constrained and challenging urban site.”
Established in 2006, Alumno is part of Places for People, a property management, development and regeneration company based in the UK.
Alumno specialises in the design and development of high-quality, modern accommodation for students.
Police are appealing for witnesses after a car collided with a cyclist and subsequently failed to stop. The incident happened around 7.50pm last Saturday (12 December, 2020).
The cyclist was travelling northwards on London Road from Blenheim Place and entered the roundabout with Leith Walk.
A silver vehicle joined the roundabout eastwards from Antigua Street and a collision occurred, causing the 25-year-old male cyclist to fall to the ground. He did not required medical treatment.
The silver vehicle failed to stop at the scene and continued eastwards from the roundabout onto Elm Row.
Constable Andy Crothers, of the Road Policing Unit based at Fettes, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or anyone who was in the area around that time and may have dash cam footage to come forward.
“We’re also looking to speak to the driver who left the scene, so we’re appealing for them to contact us.”
Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 3528 of 12 December 2020.
An application for planning permission for the development of high-quality student accommodation on London Road has been approved by City of Edinburgh Council at committee this morning.
Located at London Road, the 76-bed development, is being undertaken by developer, HG Developments. This is a second phase development of the neighbouring student accommodation at 61-63 London Road, also being undertaken by HG Developments. This incorporates the vacant land, presenting a continuation of regeneration along the London Road corridor.
Situated opposite Meadowbank Stadium, the contemporary state of the art development will replace the existing car wash and will see the delivery of a six-storey block, predominantly in brick, bringing a strong architectural element to the corner site.
The planning application was progressed after the site was re-marketed when a previous residential development consent for the scheme could not be progressed due it not being possible to build over a sewer present on the site.
On completion, charity People Know How – currently housed at Crewe Toll’s 525 Ferry Road – will locate their headquarters on the ground floor of 61 – 63 London Road, closer to the communities in which they operate.
The charity supports children, young people and their families in north-east Edinburgh transition from primary to high school; helps individuals access the digital world and assists communities to shape their areas through community consultation and empowerment.
The site is not within a Conservation Area or within the boundary of the UNESCO World Heritage site and is in an area within which there is a considerable volume of mixed-use development proposed, complementing the established residential areas nearby.
It is located on London Road, a major thoroughfare in the city boasting a high frequency of bus routes, including buses that directly serve university and college campuses and facilities.
Given the high sustainability of the location, only four parking spaces will be delivered, two accessible spaces and two to accommodate cars for the for the City Car Club, now known as Enterprise Car Club.
Energy efficient design will enhance the sustainability of the development, and water consuming systems will offer considerable reductions in water use compared to baseline technologies, including low flush toilets and low flow taps and showers
In addition, the proposal will help to address the increasing demand for student accommodation in the city. Edinburgh’s leading universities and colleges are a key driver of the capital’s economy and civic life, and student bed provision in Edinburgh remains below average compared with competing student cities across the UK.
Architects 3DReid worked on the scheme and the planning consultants were Turley.
A spokesperson for HG Developments commented: “We are delighted to have received approval of our application at committee today. This high-quality student accommodation proposal will serve to redevelop a brownfield site in previous commercial use.
“Given the high sustainability of the location there is no requirement for car parking spaces beyond those for the City Car club and disabled spaces, and we are ensuring that there is excellent provision of bicycle spaces.
Glenn Liddall, Chief Executive of People Know How commented: “Having worked closely with the developer we were pleased to see this scheme, which acts as an extension to the neighbouring building which is now under construction, gaining planning approval. We are locating our headquarters here, allowing us to serve the local community and enabling us to grow.
“As a large number of students routinely work with us by way of volunteering, internships and placements we are in the enviable position of being able to establish a positive relationship with students in the building, who can support us in our work, which will also benefit them; and engage them in the local area.”
Ruta Turcinaviciute, Project Designerfor 3DReid commented: “The proposed scheme marks an important moment for the future redevelopment of a constrained and complicated site, which will benefit the urban quality of London Road and represent a further contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the wider area.
“The proposed building seeks to address the prominent corner of the site, to its eastern approach, while the material and language of the building follows the emerging palette of the new developments currently proposed in the area, in addition to responding to the tones of the more historic tenements that form the wider context.”
