Plans to demolish iconic Edinburgh scrapyard for student flats set to be refused
Plans to transform an iconic Edinburgh scrapyard into student and residential accommodation are set to be refused.
Plans were submitted to the council in November 2023 for the transformation of Stephen G Dalton & Son metal scrapyard on Salamander Street after being in operation for 30 years.
Details of the development, including visuals of how the two blocks of flats would look, were also submitted in 2024 and councillors are set to discuss the application during next week's Development Management Sub Committee meeting.
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Council planners have recommended the development be refused due to a number of factors including an "unacceptable" scale and design, a lack of information submitted to address air quality issues and fears over potential flooding in the future.
The proposals include the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a mixed use development comprising residential and purpose built student flats as well as commercial and retail space at ground floor level.
Associated amenity space, landscaping and cycle parking would also be provided. Plans previously revealed how 46 student flats would occupy the site, totalling 230 beds.
The applicant also confirmed 30 units would be build to rent with five one-bedroom homes, 20 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom units. Of the 30, 16 were proposed as affordable.
Two commercial or retail units were to be located at the junction of Salamander Street and Salamander Place with a smaller unit overlooking Salamander Place. The ground floor student block would also boast a gym, cinema room, study room and reception.
However, councillors will now have their say on the recommendation to refuse planning consent. Planners say the proposals do not comply with the local development plan and the purpose build student accommodation aspect would prevent the delivery of the requited number of housing units in order to meet the housing land requirement.
City planners added: "The proposal also conflicts with Policy Hou 5 (Student Accommodation) as the site exceeds 0.25 hectares and less than 50% of the site has been used for proposed housing. The re use of the site is supported and the proposal is of an acceptable scale form and design.
"The amount of open space proposed is acceptable. Insufficient information has been submitted to address air quality issues for future residents. Daylight and sunlight to neighbouring and future occupiers would be acceptable; the study tests residential windows facing onto to Sailmaker Road and Salamander Street.
"The study shows that daylighting to these windows will be reduced by the development due to building height and its proximity to the windows; due to the layout of the buildings this is considered a minor infringement of the Edinburgh Design Guidance.
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"An unacceptable level of daylight will reach a number of rooms within the proposed development and more than 50% of the housing units are single aspect contrary to LDP Policy Env 33 and The Edinburgh Design Guidance. Flood issues and drainage of the site have been assessed; the site and area will have a flood risk in the future. This may result in an inability to provide safe, access and egress for residents from the development in the event of a flood.
"This risk cannot reasonably be mitigated against within this application as it relates to the external land level out with the application site. Noise pollution has been addressed, and an appropriate level of amenity could be achieved for future occupiers in this regard."
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