The developers behind Stead’s Place have lodged new revised plans for the portion of Leith Walk that they own and want to change following the application lodged in August.
The £50 million proposal for the 2.9 acre site has been controversial, with a very vocal opposition to the mixed use scheme.
The proposals have been changed by removing a storey from the new building which would be erected once the existing sandstone building is demolished. This will remove 52 student rooms from the development. The look of the exterior facing Leith Walk has been changed to become ‘more defined and distinct’. The plans also incorporate a dedicated three metre cycle/pedestrian route to Pilrig Park with 110 cycle spaces.
Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum, said: “This has been a very high profile planning application and one that, if approved, will have a significant and positive impact on Leith Walk, and how it connects with the rest of the city.
“As such, we have worked closely with the council’s planning team following the initial submission and now have a design which reflects their input and feedback from the local community.
“By reducing the height of the building facing on to Leith Walk and the number of student rooms, we have a design which is more sympathetic to the building heights and front-facing facades of the surrounding tenements in the immediate local area.
“The clear distinction at ground floor level of the sandstone retail units from the residential accommodation above is more in keeping with the rest of the tenement buildings on the street. And the rounded corner of the building with its first floor feature windows, offers the opportunity for eye-catching artwork in a highly visible location.
“We have also given a higher priority to pedestrians and cyclists including a well-defined, safe and well-lit path into Pilrig Park and beyond, as well as increased cycle parking on site.”
He added: “I am confident that our revised proposals will bring an added dimension to Leith Walk, opening up what is currently an inhospitable industrial site by creating a vibrant, contemporary and accessible community for residents and visitors alike.”
It is expected that the revised planning application will be discussed at the City of Edinburgh Council’s planning committee early in the New Year. The developers say that 2,000 letters have been lodged with the council in support of their plans.
Some of the tenants in the block have moved out already. The developers say that previous tenants charity Sikh Sanjog and its affiliated community enterprise the Punjabi Junction Café have confirmed they will return to the new development on completion.
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