New Edinburgh dental practice approved in Canonmills despite one objection from local resident

Abdul Kader submitted an application in November for internal alterations to turn the former café at 24-27 Brandon Terrace into a dental practice, which was approved by the local authority’s planning department on January 13.

This came after Mr Kader had a change of use application rejected by planners in November, who ruled that the proposals would harm the listed building and do not accord with the Local Development Plan.

Plans to turn this former coffee shop into a dental surgery have been accepted. | Google Maps

However, approving the alterations this month, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “The interior of the cafe has been significantly altered in the past. The proposed internal works impact areas of secondary significance and are considered acceptable.

“The proposal will not have a detrimental impact on any historical architectural features and will therefore not adversely impact on the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building.

“The proposals have regard to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the conservation area.

“The proposed work differs from the previous submission as the current works relate to the interiors only. The previous case was refused on the proposed external works.”

This application received one objection from a local resident, Alan McIntosh, who said: “Since the grounds for the first refusal included the proposal's failure to relate sensitively and harmoniously to the building as a whole, it seems logical to refuse this new application as well.

“Internal changes to the layout will presumably be visible through windows from the outside, and so - as in the previous application - would fail to preserve or enhance the appearance of the conservation area.”

The plans show the approved layout of the ground floor at the former Canonmills cafe. | NVDC Architects

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The application site is a ground floor commercial unit within a four-storey tenement block, built in 1888, with a continuous podium of ground floor shops.

With many Edinburgh residents struggling to get a dentist’s appointment in the city, this approved application will see more places available in Scotland’s Capital, and comes just a week after another dental surgery announced it is due to open in the city centre.

The applicant now has three years to begin the alterations at the former cafe in Canonmills, with no other conditions attached to the approval by planners.

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