Edinburgh student accommodation: Canonmills proposal rejected on appeal for second time

Controversial plans for student housing on a former Edinburgh builders' yard have been rejected on appeal - again.

The proposals for a "monolithic" five-storey block of 139 student flats at Eyre Place, Canonmills, would overshadow neighbouring residents' communal garden and adversely affect the character of the surrounding area, a Scottish Government planning reporter ruled.

The application by CA Ventures for the former Jewson's builders yard was refused by councillors in December, but the developers appealed. Now the planning reporter has thrown out the appeal and endorsed the council's decision.

The grassed area of the neighbouring communal garden would have been badly overshadowed by the proposed student block.

A previous similar proposal for the same site by the same developer was refused by a planning reporter in June last year. Residents, who fought a long campaign against the plans, said they were relieved by the latest outcome.

"It's the result we were hoping for," said mum-of-three Hannah Edwards. "The decision is very similar to the one from the previous reporter, who said it was about massing and the overbearing nature of the development.

"I feel the developers can't come back again with something really similar like they did before - I feel, if they're going to try again, they will have to think about it a bit more, maybe engage with the community and make changes that actually make a difference."

Residents had argued the second proposal changed very little from the first one. The number of flats had been reduced from 142 to 139 and the height of the block was reduced, but with the building now extending further up the lane.

And they said the grassed area of their communal garden would have been totally overshadowed by the proposed student block being reduced from the current 100 square metres of sunlight at 4pm to zero.

In the latest decision, the reporter said the principle of student accommodation on the site was generally in line with the council's planning policy.  But he continued:  "I consider that the appeal proposal overall does not fully accord with the high quality of design and layout sought for new development and as such would have an adverse effect on the character and sense of place of the surrounding area. In addition, the appeal proposal would have an adverse effect on the amenity of neighbouring communal garden ground from overshadowing." The proposals, he said, therefore, did not accord with the development plan, which sets out planning policy for the city.

CA Ventures, however, were successful in their appeal against the refusal of a proposal for seven townhouses on land immediately south of the one where the student accommodation would have been built. A proposal for nine townhouses were introduced to the first scheme as part of an early revision, but the number was reduced to seven in the latest plans.

Residents always made clear they accepted that the vacant builders yard would be developed and argued affordable homes would be a more appropriate use than student flats. But Ms Edwards said it would be better for the whole yard to be treated as one site.

Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs said welcomed the dismissal of the student accommodation appeal. He said: "The community has been firmly opposed to what is a really inappropriate and oversized development. I hope what we wills see now is any potential future developer really engage with the community about what they think can fit rather than having more student flats squeezed into that site."