Earlier this year, I commented on a planning application for the first time in my life. I disapproved on urban design grounds - it's just a bog-standard development parachuted into a site. I made the point that if Edinburgh Council granted this permission they would have created a pretty much contiguous, non-place of standard two-bedroom flats all the way across the north of the city:
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And now, if councillors accept officer's reccomendations, we can add this. I'm not one to bang on about urban design, but this is bloody awful, and Edinburgh Council, even though they have design standards as part of the Local Plan have allowed this stretch of Edinburgh to become an utter non-place. Even the Council's own design panel mauled it.
Don't forget Appin Place as well!
ReplyDeleteThere are a few developments that look different - the Robertson Ave flats are different (and very nice inside!) and the new-builds on Moat Terrace are different to the typical Edinburgh project - although bland and grey on the outside, they're toasty on the inside.
I still get frustrated that these new developments aim for as little as they can get away with in terms of energy and sustainability.
This new proposal includes only 50per cent low energy lighting, no water saving measures, fairly poor (in comparison to what's available) double glazing heat loss and PVC frames. I do like that they have space for 79% of the residents to have bikes though. I understand it's all about money, but where's the future-proofing, where's the strategy for the long-term benefit of the occupants?
Could write a whole blog on my thoughts on large-scale developers!
something our group JUMP Joined Up Master Planning have been campaigning against for almost 6 years and falling on deaf ears within the city planning department. The planners could easily stop this rubbish from littering our Waterfront if it wished and had the intellectual ability too. Too easily are they led by developers and won't listen to the community.
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