A highlight from the listed building consent report to councillors on the Development Management Sub-Committee, produced by Council planners:
"There will be no adverse effect on the character of the listed buildings or their setting"
And from the planning application report, also produced by planners:
"The most significant disbenefit is to the setting of the listed buildings and the damage to the historic asset. The disbenefit on the historic place and the woodland are also significant, however, mitigation measures will reduce this impact."
Also - a nice little public subsidy for the developers, this from the planning report:
"It is therefore reasonable to say that the accepted development appraisal assumes a level of subsidy at £500,000 from Historic Scotland and £1,175,000 from the City of Edinburgh Council through the relaxation of the affordable housing provision on the basis of an enabling case."
Also, the planners have knocked back their own transport colleagues' request that the developers fund upgraded bus and active travel infrastructure, stating:
"Transport has also requested that the developer pay a
sum of money to provide an alternative turning facility for buses. They have also requested that a contribution to Safer Routes to School be paid. It is not accepted that these monies are necessary as a result of the proposed enabling development."
These are truly bizarre reports. They spend most of the time outlining how the proposals contravene almost every possible planning policy and then recommend approval on the grounds that the proposed development is necessary to save the listed buildings. This just isn't the case. The financial assumptions behind this (despite being audited by "independent consultants") are simply wrong. The anticipated sale price of the converted properties has been artificially depressed to maximise the amount of new-build allowed (which has bigger, fatter profits).
The proposed conditions are beyond feeble. Re-development of the existing buildings by particular dates should be a requirement. Failure to do so will result in the developer building all the new-build first and then either scarpering or making minimal efforts on those expensive conversions - see Quartermile for details.
The planners who produced these should hang their heads in shame.
You can find both reports at:
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/3489/development_management_sub-committee
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