Jock’s Lodge student flats approved after appeal

Planning permission has been granted for a new student accommodation block at Jock’s Lodge in Edinburgh, following an appeal by the developers of an earlier rejection.The Scottish Government Reporter approved the project, in response to its refusal in June by the City of Edinburgh Council.Developer Alumno Group and its planning consultants Stantec had engaged with concerns in the community, but the proposals attracted more than 1,000 objections.Colin Lavety, planning director at Stantec, said that after several public consultations, the final submission ”included reducing the proposed number of storeys from eight to seven and shortening the parapet in response to concerns over the building’s height”.The new building is set to house 191 students in a mix of mix of single bedrooms with shared kitchens and larger studio-style bedrooms, along with a ground floor lounge, gym and laundry room.The ground floor unit will house ”a new local food and drink store”, according to the plan, with six commercial units – half of which are currently empty – set to be demolished.Two pubs on the site, Limelite and The Willow, plus Chennai’s Marina takeaway, are set to be knocked down, although the Limelite’s owners were offered an opportunity to move into a new bar and restaurant space on site.The initial planning refusal was due to the height of the proposed seven-storey building and impact on the the area, among other concerns that the application did not comply with several planning rules.Alumno managing director David Campbell commented: “We are very pleased with the Reporter’s decision.“We are now focused on delivering a development that we believe will contribute to the overall improvement of the local area, and we remain committed to engaging with the community as we move forward.”Don’t miss the latest headlines with our twice-daily newsletter – sign up here for free.