Edinburgh planning: Plans for Longstone Inn site could see flats, shop and park replace pub building

Plans submitted to transform landmark Longstone site

Flats, a play park and a commercial unit could be built on the site of the former Longstone Inn if plans are given the go-ahead by Edinburgh council.

Dunfermline-based Home Inc Ltd has submitted the plans for the site at 30 Longstone Road, with Fouin and Bell Architects submitting designs and artist’s impressions of the proposals. The Longstone Inn was closed in July 2020 after concerns about erosion caused by the Water of Leith which flows past the landmark pub. Any new development on the site is required to upgrade the river walls in co-ordination with the City of Edinburgh Council’s extensive flood prevention scheme for the Water of Leith.

The planning application to build 23 flats at the site was validated on March 8. The proposals include demolishing the existing building, repairing the flood walls at the Water of Leith and Murray Burn and raising the ground level to above the flood line. A new five and a half storey mixed-use development is proposed with a commercial unit on the ground floor, four storeys of flats above and set back penthouse accommodation on the top floor.

An artist's impression of what the Longstone Road site would look like when the flats are built, with the site currently occupied by the former Longstone Inn (inset).

In the planning application, Home Inc Ltd said: “The existing site is an eyesore and at risk of further damage from future flooding events and cannot be left in its current state. Flooding led to the collapse of a rear section of the Longstone Inn and extensive damage to a neighbouring building requiring a substantial scaffold structure to prevent collapse.

“The new proposal would upgrade the river walls of both the Murray Burn and Water of Leith in accordance with 1 in 200 year flood risk and the council’s Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme. This extensive and expensive repair would include new sheet piling river walls and would be borne at the developer’s expense.

“The proposed development would offer an upgraded replacement footbridge, widened to improve access for pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers and would bring huge community benefit by reinstating the connection to the meadowland open space for the local community. A new kids play park is proposed in the open space on the neighbouring Place for People-owned meadowland across the footbridge, with attractive lighting providing safe and secure access to this space.”

Commenting on the proposals, local councillor Ross McKenzie said: “I'm keeping an open mind and will be interested to hear the thoughts of the local community. It's definitely worth giving the application a good look.” Comments can be made online on this planning application until April 7 or by emailing [email protected]. There have been 13 objections to the application so far.

The site as it currently is, with the Longstone Inn, which has been closed since 2020.

The adjoining building on the site was destroyed in a fire a year ago which has left a gap site, which is currently closed to the public due to an ongoing issue with the walkway there connecting Longstone to Stenhouse. There are safety concerns regarding the old The ‘Burnside Bridge’ or ‘Stenhouse Mill Lane Bridge’ which crosses the burn at the Longstone end of the path, which was closed in July 2019. However, £40,000 bridge repairs were approved by the council in February so the vital link can be re-opened.