Changes to plans for a luxury retirement village in Edinburgh have been approved despite complaints that it’s “ugly” and “unsuitable” and would look directly into neighbours’ bathrooms.
Developers Juniper Residential have been granted permission to build 44 apartments and four houses with 48 parking spaces in Cramond.
The application went before councillors last October, when it was decided permission would be granted if developers agreed to secure the delivery of off-site affordable housing.
And it was initially planned as part of the agreement that low-cost homes would be built off-site at the former Agilent Technologies site in Queensferry.
However, Juniper Residental said “contractual difficulties” have since emerged making this project unfeasible. They have instead offered to pay a sum to be paid towards the delivery of new council houses.
The retirement development is described as “age exclusive living accommodation for the over 55’s” that “don’t compromise on style”.
But those living near the development site – a 19,200 square metre plot between 4 and 8 Barnton Avenue West – have reacted furiously to proposals and called on the council to refuse planning permission.
In total, 59 people objected and just two penned letters of support for the application.
Concerns ranged from an increase in traffic in the area to a lack of medical provision and the style of properties that have been proposed.
One neighbour living directly next to the application site wrote a four-page letter to the council criticising the plans.
The resident said the retirement flats would be too tall and said people “would be looking directly into my property”.
The resident said: “Can I also point out that my bathroom and my WC both face east and people within this proposed new building would be looking directly into these rooms.
“Additionally, this building will also look into my children’s and my bedroom.
“This is totally unacceptable for the very obvious reasons”.
Other points made in the letter raised issues with the density of the housing, a “significant” increase in traffic on a “quiet street,” and the impact on the road as part of the National Cycle Network of Scotland.
Another resident described the area is as “delightful, leafy and an asset to the community and environment” saying that surely it “deserves sympathetic development”.
They added: “Why such a dense, ugly and unsuitable proposal is even being considered for this small site is worrying”.
Housing policies require residential developments consisting of 12 or more properties to include provision for affordable housing amounting to 25 per cent of the total number of units proposed.
In October it was agreed this would be delivered off-site “through a link with a development within Queensferry on the former Agilent site” and planning permission was granted for this.
Returning to The City of Edinburgh Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee on Wednesday, the application was amended to propose paying a “commuted sum” to the council for the delivery of affordable housing rather than going ahead with the planned development in Queensferry.
A report explains the change has been made due to “contractual difficulties” that were “not apparent at the time of consideration of the application”.
It adds: “The exact amount of the commuted sum will be informed by the District Valuer and is likely to be in the range between £40,000 – £70,000 per unit.”
by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency: funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
