Planners back 'care village' on green belt land near ERI

Published on Saturday 10 January 2009 09:52

THE creation of a 170-home "care village" is set to get the go-ahead on the site of a ruined stately home next to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, despite objections from local residents and Midlothian Council.

The self-contained village, complete with sheltered apartments and a health centre, is to be built in the derelict Edmonstone estate grounds at Little France.

Planners are also set to give the green light to a care home, which will be built within a walled garden at the estate.

But objections have been raised by both local residents and Midlothian Council, who say the developments would lead to a loss of the green belt.

The village will sit next to a 30 million private hospital off Old Dalkeith Road, which developers Boskabelle already have planning permission to build on.

In a report going before councillors on Wednesday, the city council's head of planning, John Bury, says the additional housing development is needed to meet the demands of Edinburgh's ageing population. There is predicted to be a 57 per cent rise in the number of older people in Edinburgh requiring intensive care in the next ten years, with the number of those living past the age of 65 set to rise by 13 per cent.

Apartments built on the site would be marketed to independent elderly people and those needing care. But Midlothian Council has objected to the development, which would see the construction of three-storey buildings up to 100m in height.

Planning officials had previously rejected plans for a three-storey care home in a walled garden at the site, arguing it would spoil the green belt.

But an exception has now been made because the development would contribute to a campus of care facilities at Little France.

Local Labour councillor Ian Murray said

"I very much welcome these plans. There are concerns about the loss of green belt, but all in all it's a good package.

"The trade-off is that the developers will be responsible for getting the public space up to a suitable level for the public to use."

The applications for the care home and the care village will go before councillors on the development management sub-committee on Wednesday.

The plans will ultimately need to be approved by Scottish Government ministers because of the green belt issue.

Midlothian Council declined to comment.