Planning chief says dock flats an embarrassment

Councillor Jim Lowrie said planners had made mistakes by approving too many one and two bedroom flats in Granton, Newhaven and Leith - with many apartments in new high-rise blocks now lying empty.

He admitted it could be 15 years before developments at some parts of the Waterfront recover. The masterplan for Leith Docks is expected to be redrawn after Forth Ports announced it would focus on renewable energy rather than housing.

Cllr Lowrie said councillors were "embarrassed" by developments that have taken place and insisted "nothing like that will be sanctioned again".

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He said: "I think it was partly the market and partly ourselves but we allowed huge chunks of two-bed flats that were too restrictive. Half the flats at Platinum Point and the rest are still unsold.

"We have tried since then to have more family units and more of a mix and that is where we went wrong; we should have looked for more of a mix."

The waterfront had been hailed as one of the biggest development opportunities for Edinburgh in generations.

"I think it has gone much more slowly than intended," said Cllr Lowrie. "Part of the problem with the Waterfront was that some of the infrastructure was not there and the TIF (tax incremental financing) that we are looking at now is designed to try to stimulate some development.

"The whole market was slowing down and the recession really hit it. We are probably looking at a 10-15 year cycle now for most of Granton."

The Evening News revealed last week that Forth Ports' 30- year plan for more than 15,000 homes, shops, offices, and cultural attractions is in doubt because its new owners want to focus on industrial development rather than housing and real estate - but Cllr Lowrie insists housing will still feature.

He said: "The masterplan for the area formed part of the city's local plan so we can't just say 'we won't bother with houses'."There will have to be quite a few weeks of discussions with Forth Ports and the other authorities.

"There are 5000-plus moving into Edinburgh every year, so we need houses and it is just a matter of making sure they are the right type of houses."

Cllr Lowrie said some of the decisions on housing development, such as around Ocean Terminal, were taken as long ago as 2004 or 2005, before he became convener of the planning committee, although he admits many applications were approved after he came into power.

However, community leaders in Leith said the decisions taken were correct.

Graham Chapman, chairman of Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council, said: "We had a lot of negotiations with Forth Ports and a lot of planning meetings and consultations and we felt that what went through planning was best for the area in bringing in tourists and keeping the feeling of Leith going.

"I do think we got it right but the recession killed everything, including the tram."