Edinburgh pub to become hotel after Oxgangs 'Good Companions' plans approved despite local objection
An Edinburgh pub is set to be transformed into a hotel after plans were approved by the council despite an objection from a local resident.
Karen Horseburgh applied to the council in November for permission to carry out alterations and a change of use to form a hotel with ancillary public house from the existing pub Good Companions in Oxgangs.
The proposals for the two-storey pub at 2 Oxgangs Bank include adding letting bedrooms to replace the existing function suite on the first floor.
The existing ground floor layout comprises a public bar, lounge bar area, toilets, cellar, kitchen, office and plant room. The existing first floor layout comprises a function room, food preparation area, toilets, an office, a kitchen, six letting bedrooms (none of which are en-suite) and one shared bathroom and one shared shower room.
The approved plans will upgrade the existing letting bedrooms offer by providing en-suites to all bedrooms and providing additional bedrooms with en-suites along with an ancillary laundry/ storage area.
To accommodate this, the function room, toilets, kitchen, and food preparation area will be removed, with alterations to be made within the existing letting bedroom area.
This will achieve a total of 13 letting bedrooms, all with en-suites on the first floor. The ground floor will remain as it currently exists.
External alterations include the provision of two new windows at the first floor level on the southern and western elevations.
The applicant said in the planning documents: “The removal of the existing function room will lessen the impact in terms of noise and disturbance, generated traffic, etc. to the residential housing nearby.
“By replacing the function room with bedrooms, this has to be viewed as a planning gain. By retaining the ground floor bar and lounge bar as they currently operate this local amenity is retained.
“Given the above we would urge that planning permission is granted.”
One local resident objected to the pub’s plans, “specifically to address matters of accuracy, transparency and intended use which remain unclear”.
He said: “While the application refers to six existing letting bedrooms on the first floor, to the best of my knowledge these rooms have not been in active use for some time.
“In contrast, the first-floor function room has been a genuinely used and valued community facility.
“The proposal to replace this space with 13 single en-suite rooms represents a fundamental change in the nature and intensity of use.
“Although the application states that this is ‘not a hotel under Class 7 regulations’, the practical reality is that it functions as hotel-style accommodation, accessed through the public bar and supported by ancillary facilities such as laundry and storage.
“The distinction being drawn appears technical rather than meaningful from a community impact perspective.
“Residents of Oxgangs deserve openness and certainty about developments of this scale and nature, particularly when they directly affect the character and use of a long-established community venue.”
Approving the plans on January 23, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “The proposed works are in accordance with the Development Plan.
“The principle of the development is acceptable and the works are compatible with the existing building and surrounding neighbourhood character, are considered to provide due regard to global climate and nature crisis and will not result in an unreasonable loss of neighbouring amenity.
“There are no material considerations which indicate that the proposal should be refused. Therefore, the proposal is acceptable.”
Referring to the objection, Mr Givan added: “Identified material considerations have been assessed and do not raise issues which outweigh the conclusion in relation to the Development Plan.”
The applicant now has three years to begin the proposed works. With planners adding that the applicant should “consider providing cycle parking in the form of two secure, covered spaces”.
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