Edinburgh nursery submits plans to expand into upper floors- adding 55 places at Highland Fling in Portobello

The property at 11 East Brighton Crescent currently has Highland Fling nursery on the lower ground floor and the two upper floors are designated as domestic. The proposal submitted on May 9 by Highland Fling is to change the use of the two domestic floors so all three floors become one nursery.

Highland Fling hopes to create a “dedicated pre-school centre” with its proposals to add 55 more child places, and it insists the change is needed to meet the growing need for childcare locally, particularly for very young children.

Highland Fling nursery is currently located on the lower ground floor of this Portobello property, and the business plans to move into the two upper floors, adding an extra 55 child place. | Google Maps

In the planning documents, the applicant said: “This expansion would be welcomed by the local community to meet the growing demand for childcare provision in the area, particularly for children under the age of two.

“By utilising the full building, the service aims to operate as a dedicated pre-school centre offering high-quality early learning and care across all pre-school age groups.

“The premises already benefit from a large, enclosed private garden, as well as regular use of the adjacent public park and surrounding open spaces, supporting a strong focus on outdoor learning.

“The proposed extension of use to the upper floors would increase the service's capacity by approximately 55 children, directly responding to the recognised shortage of early years spaces locally, especially for those under three years old.”

Keep up to date on everything in the Capital, with the latest headlines and breaking news stories delivered straight to your inbox, with EEN’s free daily newsletter

The plans show that no real material changes would be needed to facilitate this proposed change of use, with most rooms remaining in the same form, with living areas and bedrooms to be changed to playrooms.

Only the ground floor shower room and storage will be altered, with the two adjoining rooms becoming toilets/ changing rooms according to the plans, which it appears would require the removal of the wall between the two rooms.

Highland Fling is a family-run business that has been providing local families with childcare for more than 20 years, from nursery through to high school.

The nursery’s website shows it currently has 16 staff members, where it also states: “Our sessions have been developed to fit around busy family schedules and we can provide continuity of care and loads of fun throughout early childhood and beyond.”

The City of Edinburgh Council’s planning department will now decide upon the proposals by Highland Fling, which have so far received no public comments on the council’s online planning portal.