Edinburgh plans to turn Marchmont flower shop into a new tea room by council's planning department
Plans to turn an Edinburgh flower shop into a new tea room have been approved by the council’s planning department.
Plans were submitted by Mr David Armstrong Reed on August 5, seeking a change of use for the shop unit at 92 Marchmont Crescent.
The proposals, which were accepted by planners on September 26, will see the new tea room providing seating for 16 customers, according to the plans.
No internal or external alterations are required for the change of use, although a new counter will be installed at the front of the unit next to the front door to serve customers.
The current toilets, kitchen and storage room will remain at the back of the ground floor shop unit near the Meadows.
Approving the plans, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “The proposals will be acceptable as they will not negatively impact on the setting of the listed building and will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area.
“The use is small in scale and is not expected to generate a significant increase in traffic movements, noise or disturbance.
“The proposed change of use is acceptable in principle as it will represent an appropriate commercial use that will compliment the mixed residential and commercial character of the existing area. It is appropriate in this location, helping to support local area vitality, local living and principles of sustainability.
“It is noted there are already alternative non-retail uses within the area, however there are several other retail businesses located within the local centre area, in this instance there is no clear justification to retain the unit within retail use to meet local retail needs and the lose of the retail unit will be acceptable in this instance.
“The proposals will not result in an excessive concentration of food and drink establishments to the detriment of living conditions for nearby residents.
“Given the mixed character of the area, the proposed use of the unit as a cafe will not have a negative impact on the vitality of the area and is considered to be acceptable, provided it will not have a negative impact on residential amenity.
“The applicant has confirmed that only minor cooking will be used on site and a condition has been added to limit the extent to which food can be cooked or reheated on the premises, in order to protect the amenity of the residential flats located on the floors above the property.
“There are no material considerations that outweigh this conclusion. This permission is subject to a condition limiting the opening hours from 7am-8pm, in order to protect residential amenity.”
Cooking equipment shall be restricted to a panini machine, a soup machine, a toaster, a microwave and one small oven; no other forms of cooking shall take place without the prior written approval of the planning authority.
The application property is a ground floor commercial unit located within a four-storey, six-bay Scots Baronial tenement building. There are residential properties located on the floors above.
The applicant now has three years to begin work for this change of use application, which received no notes of support or objections on the council’s online planning portal.