Yahoo News Plans for empty Edinburgh serviceman's club to be turned into holiday lets
An ex-serviceman's club in Edinburgh could be turned into short-term let apartments after a previous application for five residential flats was withdrawn.
In October 2023, we reported how proposals had been drawn up to transform the empty building on Leith's Smith Place into flats after the serviceman's club ceased operating in 2022.
The application was then withdrawn and a new change of use to short term lets is being pursued by the applicant.
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The property's ground and lover ground floors are to be redeveloped to accommodate six holiday lets - two at ground floor level and four on the lower ground floor.
According to a planning statement, the club ceased operations in 2020 after four decades before the applicant acquired the building. It is understood limited work has already begun to strip out the property.
The planning statement adds: "The property is over the ground and lower ground floors of a mid-terrace building with front door access directly onto Smith’s Place which is not shared with any other properties/users.
"The property has previously been used as an ex-servicemen’s club with operations ceasing in 2020 after over 40 years. The applicant acquired the property in 2020. This proposal is for the use of the property as six serviced apartments consisting of two apartments at the ground floor level and four at the lower ground level.
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"Internal and external alterations are also proposed to enable this use. The remainder of this statement provides background to the proposal before detailing an assessment of the proposal against the relevant development plans and other material considerations."
Apartments 1, 2, 4 and 5 will each contain two double-bedrooms, while apartments 3 and 4 are open plan studio type units. All apartments will be fully self-catering with kitchen facilities including a sink, worktop, and stove in open-plan kitchen/living areas.
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The listed building was first erected in the 19th century as part of a scheme by Leith merchant James Smith, whom the street is named after. The plans can be viewed on the council's planning portal here.
