Plans for three Edinburgh Grassmarket flats to become holiday lets set to be refused

Edinburgh landlords who submitted applications to change the use of three Grassmarket flats from residential to short-term lets are set to have their plans refused.

Applications were received by the council for three flats at Warden's Close to become holiday lets instead of residential - two of which were retrospective as the switch had already been made.

After being reviewed, council planners have recommended that all three applications be refused during next week's Development Management Sub Committee meeting.

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Flat 1F2 Warden's Close, according to the meeting's agenda, has been operating as a short-term let since July 2021 and is a three-bedroom first floor flat just off the busy Edinburgh city centre spot.

It also shares access to Warden's Close via a communal stair with the two properties which have also submitted a short-term let application. Flat 2F2 is also a three-bedroom apartment but was more recently in operation as a HMO property.

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Flat 3F2, another three-bedroom home, has been operating as a short-term let since June 2020 with planners saying that the change of use of all three properties would have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity.

They wrote: "The loss of the residential accommodation has not been justified. Whilst it is recognised that there is an economic benefit to the City as a whole from the provision of tourist accommodation, in this case it does not outweigh the adverse impact on residential amenity.

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"The proposal does not comply with the Development Plan policy NPF 4 policy 30(e) and LDP policy Hou 7. There are no material considerations that outweigh this conclusion. The proposal is unacceptable."