An appeal to build 500 houses on the greenbelt in the west of the city has been refused by The Scottish Government. 

The proposals to develop protected green belt land at Cammo faced fierce backlash from the community as hundreds objected. 

It was argued that the plans violated a range of planning policies designed to protect the area’s rural landscape, whilst there was local concern about how schools and doctors surgeries would cope with an influx of new residents. 

A local councillor hailed the decision as “a great victory for all those who campaigned so hard to protect this important green space in the west of Edinburgh”. 

Developers were criticised last March when they appealed their application less than 24 hours before city councillors were due to make a decision. 

West Craigs Ltd. and Wheatley Homes East (formerly Dunedin Canmore Housing) were able to refer proposals to a government planning reporter for determination as more than six months had passed since plans were lodged. 

It was proposed that up to 500 homes alongside retail units and active travel routes would be built on the site, north of Craigs Road. 

The project would have delivered a mix of houses and flats with half of all properties affordable.

But there has been little support for such a development to go ahead. More than 100 objections were sent to the council whilst a petition opposing the scheme gathered more than 1,000 signatures.

Cramond and Barnton Community Council led calls for the plans to be rejected, saying they were “contrary to current and emerging planning policies”. 

Arguing “enough is enough”, the group said with over 2,500 houses being built at Cammo and Maybury the area has already experienced “loss of valued greenbelt, landscapes and habitat”. 

The City of Edinburgh Council also took issue with the plans – and urged councillors to reject the development before the appeal was made. Officials concluded they would not comply with the local development plan, which outlines which sites across the city are appropriate for building on. 

The Scottish Government ruled the application did not meet any tests for approving new developments on the green belt and refused planning permission. 

Cllr Kevin Lang who represents the area previously said the developer’s bid represented an “unacceptable assault on our greenbelt”. 

Following the Government’s decision he said: “It was disgraceful that developers sought to cover even more of our precious Cammo greenbelt in concrete.

“Worse still was the disrespect the developer showed when it choose to appeal to the government at the eleventh hour, just when it became clear the Council’s planning committee were likely to reject their proposals.

“The dismissal of the appeal is a great victory for all those who campaigned so hard to protect this important green space in the west of Edinburgh.

“It is now important for the Scottish Government to approve the council’s new local development plan so this area and many other important greenbelt sites in Edinburgh can be protected in the years to come.”

by Donald Turvill

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is 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 LibDem representatives for the west of the city were out in force to get their message across.
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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.