Letters: Corstorphine flat development will 'have the visual effect of the Berlin Wall'

It's a hot topic on our letters page, with many readers hitting out at the proposed development of 5-story flats that according to some, will overshadow Pinkhill

Residents of Pinkhill Park oppose development

I am writing to express my ­concern about the proposed ­development at 33 Pinkhill.

Councillors visited the site last week and received a very ­one-sided presentation from the planning department. I fear that the ­councillors are being misled and do not understand the true height of the ­proposed apartment block.

It sits adjacent to two-storey houses in Traquair Park East and Carrick Knowe Avenue and will tower five storeys above them.

On the other side is Pinkhill Park, which is four storeys high, and the ­proposed apartment block with its flat roof will sit at least one and a half ­storeys above them.

Where is the sense in this when there are no other recent developments within a similar suburban setting in Edinburgh that are more than four storeys?

The building will also extend northwards, closer to the busy commuter road and will have the visual effect of the Berlin Wall where Pinkhill joins with Traquair Park East.

The high rise and extended building means that they can cram more people into the smallest of housing units in a small gap site. This will create car parking mayhem in an area where parking spaces are already at a premium.

It will also greatly increase the risk of road accidents on this busy, well-trodden commuter short cut.

The Planning Development sub committee are meeting on Wednesday to determine our fate and everyone hopes that sense will prevail and that they will have the wisdom to see through the planning department’s misconceived folly. A folly it will surely be!

John Kerr, Pinkhill Park, Edinburgh.

Building plan will add to traffic woes

As a resident of Pinkhill Park I want to add my protest regarding the proposed plans by Dandara to build a block of flats completely out of keeping with the buildings already here.

The proposed block would be higher by two floors and many others have pointed out the complete unsuitability of the design in what is a small cul-de-sac.

The additional impact of many more cars will add to an already difficult situation here, both for available parking spaces and in relation to the ­narrow Pinkhill Road, the only access to Pinkhill Park.

Pinkhill Road acts as an overspill for zoo parking, park and ride and even airport parking, and from spring to ­autumn is often difficult to negotiate.

People in the surrounding area ­already have problems with rat-runs, including Pinkhill Road, to avoid Corstorphine Road.

I hope Edinburgh Council planning committee see sense on Wednesday when they meet to decide whether to grant planning permission to ­Dandara.

It’s important to say I have no ­objection to a development which is in ­proportion with the existing buildings, although the increase in cars would still add to our problems.

Ana Semple, Pinkhill Park, 
Edinburgh.

Committee must ask Dandara to rethink

Your readers will be aware from ­previous correspondence and articles of the application by Dandara to build at Pinkhill Park in Edinburgh. It was acknowledged at last week’s meeting of the planning committee that there has been a lot of opposition to the Dandara application.

It is very important that we are not ­regarded as NIMBYs because the ­contrary is true. We welcome the change from a commercial building to a residential development. Our only request is that the development should blend in with the surrounding area as other new developments in Corstorphine have ­recently.

Dandara initially wanted to build seven storeys high but this faced such ­opposition that they resubmitted an application for a development which is five high. There are no five-high residential developments in Corstorphine and the worry is that once an application is granted others would follow, thus changing the face of this lovely garden suburb.

It is not too late for the planning ­committee to reject this application and for the developer to resubmit an application for a maximum of four storeys.

Not only would there be no opposition to such a move but it might even ­attract support. The local voice should be heard.

Paul JA Robertson, chair, Pinkhill Park Proprietors Association