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"DIY store to be demolished for student flats" (and other developments)

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  1. Stickman
    Member

    @crowriver:

    This would be a disaster for the artists/makers in the city. There are very few affordable workspaces around. It's also galling that the Palette kept the building occupied and busy when it would otherwise probably have been left derelict.

    Also, the comment that the new owners want to turn it into "facilities for the benefit of the local community”. It's currently being used as a place of employment and bringing in several hundred individuals into the area each day who will spend in local shops, whilst also providing things such as drop-in courses that anyone can attend.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    The loss of Art's Complex would be a real blow. There are some very good artists working there as well as a few people I know.

    The same fate befell the studios in the old DHSS office in Castle Terrace.

    Mind you, same happened to Montmartre and the 19th arrondissement. Artists have caused and flown gentrification for centuries.

    When I'm Dictator Benign of All Caledonia all houses will come with a bike shed and a craft workshop built in.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    Companies House reveals the new owners are a group of companies based in Aberdeen, owned and run by the usual solicitors, accountants, chartered surveyors, etc. Multiple subsidiaries, including Drum Edinburgh Ltd which I presume will be responsible for this investment.

    Accounts show the group seems to be mainly financed through bank loans so ultimately whoever their bankers are will be the beneficiaries of this further homogenisation and blandification of eastern Edinburgh. Further Googoling reveals that our very own RBS are financing this.

    "Drum Property Group has agreed an additional £17.5m finance package with Royal Bank of Scotland to expand its residential portfolio across the country's Central Belt."

    "Drum's residential investment business makes it one of the largest private landlords in Scotland. Its development division has worked on some of the country's largest mixed-use developments."

    “ Royal Bank of Scotland has provided continued support to Drum since our inception 13 years ago,” finance director Stuart Oag said. “The new funding package from the bank will allow us to build on the significant progress we've made in the Central Belt, and help us to act on a number of important investment opportunities in Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond.”

    https://www.insider.co.uk/news/drum-property-group-agrees-additional-11032919

    Jamie Drummond, relationship manager at Royal Bank of Scotland, added: “We are proud to support Drum Property Group. The company has continued to deliver strong group performance year after year, generating a healthy pipeline of investment and development opportunities. We wish them continued success in the central belt.”

    http://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/tag/drum-property-group/

    Also, in Aberdeen a few years ago:

    RBS provides drum roll in Aberdeen

    "Drum Property Group has agreed a £27 million financing package with Royal Bank of Scotland that means it can further expand one of the biggest business parks serving Aberdeen."

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rbs-provides-drum-roll-in-aberdeen-lvvdn80xd8r

    From 2013:

    RBS strengthens Scottish real estate finance team

    Jamie Drummond and Phil Sherwood join the Corporate & Institutional Banking division

    Drummond, who has worked with RBS for more than 20 years, has worked on UK real estate for the bank for the past decade.

    Stuart Heslop, regional managing director of Real Estate Finance, said: “I am delighted that Jamie and Phil have joined the team at what is an exciting point in the recovery of real estates markets.”

    https://www.insider.co.uk/news/rbs-strengthens-scottish-real-estate-9869365

    Posted 6 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Planning permission agreed in principle include a new hotel, offices, student accommodation, apartments and a 225-space car park.

    “

    So when did that happen?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  5. crowriver
    Member

    "So when did that happen?"

    Thu 10 Nov 2016, according to planning portal. Application originally Mon 15 Dec 2014.

    14/05174/PPP

    Proposed height of some buildings is 10 storeys (including basement level).

    Posted 6 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    “Proposed height of some buildings is 10 storeys”

    So there’s new build too??

    Posted 6 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    “Application originally Mon 15 Dec 2014.”

    So current occupiers have known about this for a while.

    Presumably accepted being there as ‘temporary use’?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    Whole thing is new build. St Margaret's House will be demolished to make way for a fairly high density development with a huge basement level car park. Seems the original Planning Permission in Principal was applied for in 2009, granted 2010. 09/01793/PPP is the reference. Then presumably global financial crisis intervened, permission lapsed. Renewed in 2011, and again in 2014, granted 2016.

    Plans have barely changed in that time, just a bit more detail on the designs, access statements, air quality assessment etc. Same architects: presume they jusy kept the designs on file, changed the colours a bit and gave them a wee tweak, why spend more?

    Seems to me that Edinburgh as a whole is just dusting off "shovel ready" projects from before the crisis, virtually unchanged, and building them (cf. Picardy Place). Did developers and financiers learn nothing from the crisis?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  9. crowriver
    Member

    "So current occupiers have known about this for a while.
    Presumably accepted being there as ‘temporary use’?"

    Maybe they'll get a year or two still before being evicted.....or maybe not.

    It's a real shame because this is one of the last large, reasonably central studio block for artists/craftspeople. Except for Summerhall, the others are much smaller.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    “Whole thing is new build“

    Ah, I assumed refurb like Argyle Ho.

    “Except for Summerhall”

    Is that full up yet?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  11. crowriver
    Member

    "Is that full up yet?"

    No idea. Perhaps not, but I doubt they have space for another 200+ tenants!

    Posted 6 years ago #

  12. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I've heard you have to be a follower of Joseph Beuys to get into Summerhall. Art's Complex you just had to pay the rent.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  13. crowriver
    Member

    Dunno about that, but the owner/patron/impresario is a rather particular sort of fellow right enough.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    "I've heard you have to be a follower of Joseph Beuys to get into Summerhall."

    I'm sure that's some sort of exaggeration...

    Must be the Richard Demarco connection.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  15. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I'm sure that's some sort of exaggeration...

    I never type anything into CCE that isn't literally true. I did hear that. From someone given to wild insinuations mind.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  16. unhurt
    Member

    The office codpiece is real!

    Posted 6 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    “

    The 38-year-old, also Scotland’s premier customised boxing shorts maker, says of Edinburgh Palette: “They will find it, I believe in them. This will happen. We’re not defined by the building, we can take it elsewhere. If anything I will miss the view,” adds Lubi, gazing out towards Berwick.

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/artists-vow-to-survive-after-st-margaret-s-house-base-sold-off-1-4685590

    Posted 6 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/why-we-must-save-the-palette-1-4685501

    Posted 6 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    “

    ANOTHER WEEK, another row in Edinburgh over a new development that seems insensitive – if not downright damaging – to the needs of local people. This time, it’s St Margaret’s House, a huge 1960s government office block on London Road that once housed Scotland’s NHS administration. The building has long been designated as ripe for development; and it has now been sold, like so many city centre sites and properties, for conversion into yet another hotel, and yet more luxury student accommodation.

    “

    https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/joyce-mcmillan-scotland-s-cities-are-turning-into-theme-parks-1-4686241

    Posted 6 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/john-mclellan-edinburgh-s-inspiring-narnia-of-wonders-is-in-danger-1-4685383

    Posted 6 years ago #

  21. Stickman
    Member

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/haymarket-gap-site-for-200m-scheme-put-up-for-sale-1-4689857

    This was supposed to be an "iconic" development wasn't it? There has been no work on it for about a year. Perhaps they might rethink the multi storey office block.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    From link -

    “

    The sale comes after the city council announced it will launch a new drive to target big-spending visitors and expensive hotel chains amid warnings Edinburgh is failing to meet key industry growth targets. Councillor Gavin Barrie, convener of the economy committee, said: “If it means the site will be built on, then so be it. It has been a bit frustrating so far, but there has been some radical engineering works to lay the foundations in the tunnels between Waverley and Haymarket.

    There is a huge amount of development in Haymarket and I’m sure at least one investor would see this as a prime opportunity.”

    The sale is being marketed by joint agents JLL and Dougray Smith. City centre Tory Cllr Joanna Mowat said: “The site is brilliantly located and it has real potential to have that as a new hub.

    “

    So, as usual, the cityscape is largely dependent on the whims of international finance and notions of making Edinburgh attractive to people with above average disposable income(?)

    Does this - “real potential to have that as a new hub” - mean anything??

    Ironically of course, Haymarket was supposed to be a transport hub. This mostly failed to deal with how pedestrians get to/from the station and various bus stops and continuing walking routes.

    (We all know what about cycle infrastructure around the tram, left turn off Dalry Rd. etc)

    Maybe the new developers will bring new insights, imperatives and cash(?)

    Posted 6 years ago #

  23. wangi
    Member

    And a GAM...

    Posted 6 years ago #

  24. chdot
    Admin

    "

    DEVELOPERS building housing near music venues will be responsible for ensuring they are soundproofed under new rules aimed at protecting the live gig circuit.

    "

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16012737.Planning_change_to_protect_Scotland_s_live_music_venues/

    Posted 6 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/entertainment/under-threat-edinburgh-palette-reassured-over-new-base-1-4697782

    Posted 6 years ago #

  26. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/entertainment/threat-to-grassroots-scots-music-scene-from-housebuilding-1-4698463

    Posted 6 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    “

    John Kerr of Pinkhill Park Residents Association said: “Planning in Edinburgh is providing no leadership in looking after the skyline of our beautiful city. They are allowing greedy developers to dictate the form, density and height of gap site building proposals which will dominate city landscapes.

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/business/edinburgh-council-planners-failing-to-protect-city-s-skyline-1-4700961

    Posted 6 years ago #

  28. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/portobello/edinburgh-palette-set-for-temporary-shipping-container-base-1-4702201

    Posted 6 years ago #

  29. chdot
    Admin

    “

    The Drum Property Group is set to snap up an another artists’ hub, St Margaret’s House, in the Meadowbank area, also for student housing.

    It says that the Leith Walk development will create “a mix of affordable housing, innovative post-graduate student accommodation, hotel facilities for visitors to the city, and space for the benefit of local retailers and the community”.

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/entertainment/leith-s-only-music-venue-to-be-demolished-for-student-housing-1-4704459

    Posted 6 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    Studio space for artists in ‘unwanted’ places has a long history.

    Here is an example from London. Includes (now) well known names.

    http://www.acme.org.uk/aboutacme/history

    (Scotland has https://www.waspsstudios.org.uk )

    Posted 6 years ago #

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