Plans approved for new Edinburgh city centre pub in prime location
New pub coming to Edinburgh city centre
Plans have been approved for a new Edinburgh city centre pub at a former Mexican restaurant on George Street.
MML Leisure Limited submitted plans in May for internal and external alterations as well as a change of use, at 141-143 George Street, the former home of Las Iguanas, which is now closed and the premises are vacant.
Describing the plans in the planning documents, the applicant said: “The works to the internal areas of the building will be to remove existing fixtures and fittings and modern partitions and replacing these with the internal fixtures of the proposed public house.
“There are no structural works proposed to the original fabric of the building. A new traditional frontage is proposed with traditional style doors and stall risers with timber fascias as well as new window details. The existing awnings would be replaced with traditional canvas awnings with the façade painted in dark green.
“The change of use to a public house will be in keeping with the range of neighbouring uses and will not be out of character for the city centre.
“The proposed changes will not inhibit or prejudice any nearby employment uses and will serve this mixed-use zone where there are a large number of offices and other leisure establishments and hotels.
“The proposal will improve the vitality and viability of the area by bringing a vacant unit back into use and will not undermine the character of the city centre.
“The principle of the change of use to a public house should be considered acceptable when considered against established policy.
“It is considered that the proposed change of use and improvement to the commercial frontage and interior of the building will bring this prominent corner unit back into a vibrant city centre use which is fully compliant with development plan policy and the physical changes will have a neutral effect on the character of the listed buildings.”
There are no works proposed to the rear of the building and the existing means of extract will be reused.
The proposal indicates that the existing basement external cellar seating area would continue to be used, and an area of George Street would also be used for external seating which is the same areas as the previous Las Iguanas use.
Approving the plans on July 21, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “The proposals are of an acceptable design and would be compatible with the character of the existing building. There are no material considerations which outweigh this conclusion.”
The premises forms the ground and basement floors of two adjacent listed buildings. The western building at 143 George Street is listed category A and the eastern building at 141 is listed category B.
The applicant now has three years to carry out the works for the change of use at 141-143 George Street, with the application receiving no public comments on the council’s online planning portal.
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