Edinburgh residents' fury as controversial Leith plans re-submitted 'virtually the same' despite concerns
Plans for 18 flats in five-storey block re-submitted
Residents living in an Edinburgh street have been left furious after controversial Leith plans for a new block of flats were re-submitted with what they said were only minor changes.
The new planning application has been submitted by SC Leith Limited for 18 flats in a five-storey block of land currently used as a car park by the adjacent boutique Malmaison hotel, 30 metres west of 7 Tower Street.
Despite previously raising concerns about the plans potentially leaving neighbouring residents “in the dark”, residents say the re-submitted proposals fail to address their concerns and are “virtually the same” as before.
Tony Harding told the Evening News of his disbelief that the developer has not taken on board concerns raised by residents, and he questioned the timing of the new application, lodged with the council on June 24.
He said: “The planners have withdrawn their original plans and resubmitted, it is virtually the same set of plans.
“Importantly, none of the concerns raised in the previous application have been resolved, every issue remains.
“It is virtually the same application, we just lose all our comments and have to start again in holiday season.”
Tony and his neighbours are still worried that these plans will impact the amount of sunlight to their properties, and say the plans will have an overbearing impact on neighbouring properties.
Locals are also concerned about proximity and privacy, noise and disturbance, transport, parking and servicing, over-development, and the impact of construction of the new block of flats if the plans are approved.
Tony said: “The new daylight report shows very serious losses of light to neighbouring flats. Some windows at 5 Tower Street drop to around half of their current daylight.
“Winter sunlight at 1 Tower Street falls to 10 to15 per cent of what it receives now. Block 7 is not assessed at all, even though it is directly beside the proposed building.
“Our shared garden is still not tested, and the required BRE garden sunlight test is missing again. These issues were raised previously, none have been fixed.”
He added: “The proposed building is still five storeys, directly beside four‑storey homes. It creates a dominant, overbearing wall on the boundary. The height was a major concern in the previous objection, no change has been made.
“Our building is eight metres from the boundary wall, the new block sits directly on it. Edinburgh requires nine metres window‑to‑boundary and 18 metres window‑to‑window, impossible here.
“Balconies and windows will overlook homes and gardens. Opaque glass does not solve the wider privacy problem. These concerns were raised before, none have been addressed.”
Highlighting transport concerns, Tony said: “No Transport Assessment has been submitted. Malmaison parking drops from around 50 spaces to 17, with no plan for over-spill.
“No strategy for hotel deliveries, refuse uplift, taxis, or drop‑offs. The access lanes appear too narrow for standard HGVs, meaning servicing may spill onto Tower Street. No parking controls are proposed for the private section of Tower Street.
“The proposal places a large five‑storey block on a very small site with inadequate spacing. Density and massing remain excessive. No redesign has been undertaken.”
SC Leith Limited has been contacted for comment.
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