Shop's paint job slammed by city planners

Published on Tuesday 7 April 2009 09:39

IT is a problem which has faced even the most diligent of DIY enthusiasts – you get the paint on the walls and it isn't exactly what you were expecting.

But sandwich shop owner Cerkan Cinar is now set to pay the price after falling foul of city planners for painting the front of his George IV Bridge premises a bright lime green colour.

The businessman had planned to repaint the Deli Global shop dark green – the colour it has been for years – but the paint chosen came up a much brighter shade of green, something which has not impressed city officials. Planners have described the new colour scheme as " overly assertive" and not in keeping with the World Heritage Site.

Councillors are now expected to approve moves to force Mr Cinar to repaint the front of the B-listed building, a move which the businessman said he will resist without compensation.

He said: "We chose the one in the catalogue which looked exactly the same but it did not work out like that. After it had dried it turned out a lot brighter.

"It does not look that bad I think but I would be happy to change it if the council helps me with the cost.

"Having it painted is much better than leaving it to peel and go bad though."

Planners have taken a number of businesses to task in recent years for repainting their premises not in accordance with the city's strict rules.

In November last year, enforcement action was taken against the "garish" orange and white frontage of a factory clearance shop on Slateford Road.

In 2006, a Cashmere shop on Dundas Street was ordered to strip grey paint from its stonework and return the facade to its original condition.

Numerous businesses have also been pulled up for the size and design of signs, most notably when banking giant RBS was told to revise plans to hang its distinctive snowflake logo on a bridge over the A8 next to its Gogarburn headquarters.

John Bury, the council's head of planning, said: "The front of the property was previously painted a green colour, albeit, in a more visually subdued hue which allowed the property to blend in with the adjacent shop fronts.

"The lime green paint scheme currently adorning the premises is overly assertive and has a significant visual impact which is not in keeping with the character of the listed building."

Councillors on the city's planning committee will tomorrow decide whether to enforce the paint change.