Edinburgh Cowgate hostel to get five-storey extension despite 11 objections from locals
A five-storey extension at an Edinburgh city centre hostel has been approved, despite 11 objections from locals.
J & M Cameron Properties Limited submitted plans in August for a five-storey extension at the Kick Ass Greyfriars Hostel at 37-39 Cowgate.
The council’s planning department has now approved the proposals, with seven conditions, despite locals objecting to the extension.
The extension will include guest accommodation on the upper floors, and a public bar on the ground floor incorporating a partial conversion of the existing ground floor, plus minor ancillary internal alterations. The fourth floor would provide a lounge area.
Some minor changes to the interior of the listed building will be required to connect the existing building with the proposed extension and to consolidate bathroom facilities and circulation routes.
The extension will include 10 dormitory rooms of new hostel accommodation on the upper floors, including three rooms on the second and fourth floors, and a further lounge /dorm on the top floor.
The ground floor façade of the listed building to Candlemaker Row will be altered with the reinstatement of a traditional shop window frontage, informed by details from the 1903 drawings of the listed building.
Approving the hostel plans, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “The proposal is acceptable. It will not harm the listed buildings, their setting and will preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
“The hostel and bar uses are acceptable in this city centre location. It will not harm the outstanding universal value of the World Heritage Site and is of an appropriate design.
“Full details of external materials is required to ensure these are appropriate in this historic context.
“It will not have an adverse impact on neighbours' amenity, subject to implementation of noise mitigation measures.
“The proposal is acceptable with regard to equalities and no human rights impacts have been identified. No other material considerations identified outweigh this conclusion.”
The plans were approved despite 11 objections from locals concerned about the impact on traffic, the design of the extension, and an increase in noise and disturbance from increased footfall.
One of the local residents, Michael Lister, said: “The development will do nothing to contribute in any significant way to a sense of place or to the distinctive character of Candlemaker Row, the Cowgate or Cowgatehead.
“Any building work that involves the excavation of deep foundations may prove damaging to the fabric of the A-listed Magdalene Chapel and its unique pre-Reformation stained glass windows.
“Local residents in Candlemaker Row and in the Grassmarket already experience on a daily basis the consequences of an economic model that is over-reliant on tourism.”
Speaking about potential traffic issues, he added: “This proposed development will create within a relatively tight space at the junction of two roads - at which there is currently no pedestrian crossing - a significant amount of additional footfall coming to and from the new premises.
“At the very least, a proposed development such as this will consequently create additional noise and disturbance from the premises. This will also have implications for traffic in an area that is already over-used by tour buses.”
Local woman Gillian Tait said: “The extension has no place in the characterful Old Town environment - it is quite out of scale and completely out of place, and seems to be of little or no architectural merit. It would be a total disgrace to allow this development in what is meant to be a World Heritage Site.”
While local resident, Lynn Johnson, added: “I object to this application mainly because it will greatly increase the number of drinking spaces in an area that already has an over abundance.”
However, there was one note of support, from local resident Rosalyn Reid, who said: “I don't think the proposed extension will pose a problem and the owners of this property and the Kickass Hostel at West Port are responsible and consult with residents.
“Giving more affordable hotel accommodation is better than having so many short-term lets in the area.”
The new development will occupy an area to the south of the building bounded by Candlemaker Row, which is currently in use as an external bar/ hospitality area, with an informal pergola-like timber structure, which is set back from the street.
The size of the proposed extension is 170sqm and the development will comprise 755sqm of new build floorspace over five floors.
The plans show that the form of the hostel extension roof has been designed to fit with the varied roof forms present in the Old Town, removing large areas of flat roof / roof terrace.
There is also the possibility of a further extension at the Cowgate hostel, with the planning documents stating that “conversations with Scottish Power have commenced exploring the option of extending the hostel over the site currently occupied by the substation”.
This application’s approval came with seven conditions. These include the council approving noise mitigation measures before work on the extension gets underway.
As well as the implementation of a programme of archaeological work, a detailed specification of all the proposed external materials, and full details of the biodiversity enhancement measures.
And, a fully detailed landscape plan, including details of all hard and soft surface and boundary treatments and all planting for the terrace area, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority before work is commenced on site.
The applicant now has three years to begin work on the extension at the Kick Ass Greyfriars Hostel at 37-39 Cowgate, before the planning permission lapses.
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