Developer told there's no room for hotel's carbon footprint

Published on Thursday 31 January 2008 09:22

A MULTI-MILLION pound hotel scheme has been put on ice after developers were told to reduce the building's carbon footprint.

Leith Walk Developments, who want to build the 175-room hotel in Haddington Place, have been told by councillors to increase the amount of renewable energy it will generate.

The move is one of the first to be made under the city council's sustainable buildings policy, which was introduced last February.

Under the legislation, developers are graded on recycling facilities, ensuring ten per cent of energy is from on-site renewable sources, and minimising CO2 emissions from construction.

Although Leith Walk Developments achieved the minimum overall total of 41 out of 80, they failed to match the council's target for renewable energy.

City officials had recommended approval as the 15 million hotel would use a ground source heat pump, and said that any additional "externally-mounted" technology would be out of place in a conservation area.

But the planning committee threw out the recommendations and agreed to postpone its decision until more renewable energy sources were included.

Green councillor Steve Burgess, who proposed the motion to continue the application, said he did not accept there could not be further additions.

He said: "There is no point in having a policy like this if we do not enforce it. They must be able to include a few solar panels without making it look out of place."

Local councillor Maggie Chapman said she was pleased the developers were being told to make the building more environmentally-friendly.

She said: "I generally welcome the development of the site but we need to ensure that the impact on climate change of all new buildings in the city is minimised."

The hotel, which would feature a bar-restaurant and two shops, would be built on the site of a former petrol station and garages on Haddington Place.

No-one from Leith Walk Developments could be contacted to comment. However, a spokeswoman for architects CPMG, who drew up the plans, said they would be meeting with the developers to decide how to proceed.

Jim Lowrie, the city's planning leader said: "Although we were happy with the overall design, the committee continued this application to enable the applicant to meet our standards for sustainable building policy by increasing the level of renewable energy for the building."

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