Neighbours have reacted with anger and alarm at plans to build a two-storey dwelling at 4 Barony Place (Ref. 12/03470/FUL).
Spurtle was contacted by one resident who complained of inadequate notification, and of what she perceived to be hectoring and disingenuous tones employed by the developer's representatives when talking to locals.
She alleges that some neighbours have been left with the impression that there is nothing they can do.
Spurtle researched, and this is what we know so far. We recommend concerned readers go first to the Design Statement available at the link shown above.
The proposal
Planning permission already exists for this site (see Site History below), but now 360 Architecture acting for Robert Keane of the Aberdeen-based Ardent Group have come up with new plans. They propose a 3-bedroom house with 1 integral parking space.
As with the previously consented scheme, 2 bedrooms and the garage are intended at ground level, with the main living areas (mostly open-plan) on the first floor.
The developer must respect the existing right of access to a garden area shared by residents at 20 Barony Street, but has gone further by undertaking to upgrade this.
The architects describe the building's 'clean contemporary emphasis' as being achieved by 'a simple palette of materials': brick, traditional stone, aluminium, frameless glazing and metal doors.
'The general approach is to provide a 2 story [sic] dwelling which does not impact on its surroundings and provides the occupiers with a private but naturally lit home,' the architects continue. 'We have looked to respond to the urban fabric of the site whilst at the same time creating a flexible home with intrigue and character.'
[img_assist|nid=3442|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=640|height=480]Doubts
Spurtle cannot comment on the social skills of visiting developers/architects which we have not witnessed for ourselves. Spurtle does not in principle object to modern architecture in historic settings (this correspondent quite likes the proposed front elevation). What does worry us and many readers is the squeezing of ever more housing into already very densely populated areas. Unfortunately, such considerations do not seem to bother Council Planners.
We have other doubts about the following aspects of the proposal.
1. Will Barony Street residents notice the 'impact' of less light entering their properties?
2. How will they respond to the 'intrigue and character' of the proposal's south elevation facing them: an unrelieved wall of black bricks? (It would rise between the blue car and wall pictured above.)
3. Normal parking provision for a house of this size would be 2 spaces, but the developer claims good local transport links mean there's no need for these. Would the eventual residents in this proposed property agree? Perhaps locals should press Council officials to withhold parking permits as a condition of any approval.
4. Edinburgh Standards for Housing guidelines suggest the open-space requirements for this property should be 29 sqm. The current plan provides a north-west facing 1st-floor external terrace of 10 sqm at the front, and a west facing balcony measuring 2 sqm on one side; i.e. 17 sqm too few.
360 Architecture say this provision improves on previously consented plans which provided no open space whatsoever. They also point to sunny outlooks at the front and back, and the view over and access to the adjacent Barony Community Garden.
5. On their application form, the architects have answered no to the question 'Are there any trees on or adjacent to the application site?' We can see trees.
Site history
The patch of land (formerly given as 2 Barony Place) has been used as parking for the last few years, and before that was unpopular for its regular use by flytippers and a population of rats (Issue 172, p.3).
Further back still, it was a ramshackle garage for which planning permission to build a dwelling was granted 13 years ago to Trinity Factoring Services Ltd (Ref. 99/01132/FUL). In 2010, TFS successfully applied for consent to a non material variation to the design (99/01132/VARY) involving minor changes to their original plan.
In December 2010, a Building Warrant was granted (Ref: 10/02832/ERECT).
What next?
Expressions of support or objection must reach the Council by 29 October. (If notification has indeed been lacking, this deadline may be put back, but check.) A decision is currently expected to be made by 30 November 2012.
Telephone enquiries should be made to Council Planning's Suzanne Walker (Tel. 200 2000).
You can find out about online viewing and commenting about planning applications here.
Send written comments by post/hand to: Head of Planning and Building Standards, Services for Communities, Level C5, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG. Include: the date, your name/address, application ref no, site address.
Local Ward 11 councillors who may be able to help are Karen Doran (Lab), Joanna Mowat (Con) and Alasdair Rankin (SNP); see Directory.
Read more on this story at Breaking news (29.10.12).
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