Edinburgh's greenbelt: Victory for campaigners as developer's appeal over new homes at Cammo is rejected

Proposal would have seen 500 more houses on western edge of Edinburgh

A “disgraceful” attempt to build 500 houses in Edinburgh’s countryside has failed after an eleventh-hour appeal was thrown out by the Scottish Government.

The controversial proposals to develop protected green belt land at Cammo faced fierce backlash from the community as hundreds objected. It was argued the plans violated a slew of planning policies designed to protect the area’s rural landscape, whilst there was local concern about how schools and doctors surgeries would cope with an influx of new residents. A local councillor hailed the decision as “a great victory for all those who campaigned so hard to protect this important green space in the west of Edinburgh”.

Developers were criticised last March after they appealed their application less than 24 hours before city councillors were due to make a decision. West Craigs Ltd. and Wheatley Homes East (formerly Dunedin Canmore Housing) were able to refer proposals to a Government planning reporter for determination as more than six months had passed since plans were lodged.

Kevin Lang (left) and fellow Liberal Democrats campaigned against the plans for 500 homes on the greenbelt at Cammo.

It was proposed up to 500 homes alongside retail units and active travel routes would be built on the site, north of Craigs Road. The project would have delivered a mix of houses and flats with half of all properties affordable. But there has been little support for such a development to go ahead; over 100 objections were sent to the council whilst a petition opposing the scheme gathered more than 1,000 signatures.

Cramond and Barnton Community Council led calls for the plans to be rejected, saying they were “contrary to current and emerging planning policies”. Arguing “enough is enough”, the group said with over 2,500 houses being built at Cammo and Maybury the area has already experienced “loss of valued greenbelt, landscapes and habitat”. Edinburgh City Council also took issue with the plans – and urged councillors to reject the plans before the appeal was made. Officials concluded they would not comply with the local development plan, which outlines which sites across the city are appropriate for building on.

The Scottish Government ruled the application did not meet any tests for approving new developments on the green belt and refused planning permission. Kevin Lang, the Liberal Democrat group leader, represents the area on the council and previously said the developer’s bid represented an “unacceptable assault on our greenbelt”.

Following the Government’s decision he said: “It was disgraceful that developers sought to cover even more of our precious Cammo greenbelt in concrete. “Worse still was the disrespect the developer showed when it choose to appeal to the government at the eleventh hour, just when it became clear the council’s planning committee were likely to reject their proposals.

“The dismissal of the appeal is a great victory for all those who campaigned so hard to protect this important green space in the west of Edinburgh. It is now important for the Scottish Government to approve the council’s new local development plan so this area and many other important greenbelt sites in Edinburgh can be protected in the years to come”.