Flower power fails as flats set to go ahead

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build new flats close to a community of colonies is set to be approved, despite hundreds of objections.

People living in the Flower Colonies on Slateford Road formed a new residents' association in order to fight the proposals by AMA (New Town) Ltd and bombarded the city council with letters outlining their fears.

The development would include 40 managed student flats accommodating 220 people, and a further 63 flats for private sale. The homes would be divided between four blocks, up to five storeys in height. If granted permission, the developer would have to build affordable housing elsewhere, most likely a development of 23 flats at Ford's Road in Gorgie.

However, colony residents say the buildings are too large for the site and would overwhelm their homes. They argue that the concrete and glass in the design would be out of place, that there is inadequate parking and poor access, and that moving affordable housing off-site would damage the social mix of the area.

An initial plan for the site was altered after local objections, but the second, revised scheme garnered even more opposition, with a further 213 letters written to the council.

Gur Bergkvist of the Flower Colonies Area Residents' Association said: "We were devastated when we found out it was recommended for approval. We've been trying to find out how many objections they'd received for ages and we've had to drag information out of the people at the council.

"So we were amazed when we got the recommendation and we saw the numbers - the first time was 96 objections and more than 200 for the second one, and that was supposed to be the improved version.

"We're going to go to the meeting because although it's been recommended, we hope that the councillors will vote against it when they see the amount of opposition to it."

Merchiston Community Council also objected to the plan, writing: "We consider it represents a gross over-development of the site which is not in keeping with the successful established character of the area of two-storey colony type housing suitable for families.

"If built, these massive five-storey flats will overshadow and greatly diminish the amenity of the residents of the nearby Flower Colonies."

On hearing that the scheme was recommended for approval at the development management sub-committee on Wednesday, community council chairwoman Bridget Stevens commented: "This is not good news. It's extraordinary that in the face of all these objections, this is the recommendation.

"We had been led to understand that it was by no means a foregone conclusion that this would be approved."

No-one from AMA (New Town) was available for comment.