£30m flats bid for bus depot back on board

A CONTROVERSIAL £30 million scheme to convert a city bus depot into flats has been revived after two earlier attempts failed.

The transformation of the old Lothian Region Transport garages at Shrub Place into more than 300 flats was rejected by Edinburgh City Council last year amid a mass of opposition from neighbours.

Now the developer, George Wimpey, has submitted revised plans for the site off Leith Walk in a bid to strike it third time lucky.

But heritage groups and residents living near the depot today expressed fresh reservations about the new plans, which include a mix of flats, retail and commercial elements.

Officials had backed blueprints in August by the same developer to build more than 300 flats on the site of the old LRT garages, but city councillors refused permission on the grounds the quality of the project was too low. The new plan submitted to city planners features 333 flats and ten retail units surrounding a courtyard.

Fifty-two of the flats will replace the adjoining Masonic Lodge, while the remaining 281 flats will be built on the bus depot site.

The scheme averages between five and seven storeys high, although a main feature tower will be nine storeys.

But residents and heritage groups today remained unimpressed with the proposals for the prime site, part of which lies in the Leith Conservation Area.

Harald Tobermann, of the Pilrig Residents’ Association, said: "The new proposal represents a new design approach by Wimpey’s architects, but it still seems to be very much constrained by the developer’s own narrow objectives.

"Most importantly, it is not clear how much Wimpey's new design has been informed, let alone inspired, by the design brief for the site that was drawn up and approved by the planning committee at the end of November 2002.

"When Wimpey’s previous scheme was thrown out last year, it was labelled ‘good enough for a Moscow suburb’. While it would be unfair to stick these labels on this new design, it is doubtful whether the new proposal is good enough to accept.

"A development that is only just not quite bad enough to reject would not be acceptable for this prominent site.

"Whatever is built on the site, it will affect the quality of life in Pilrig and, by setting a precedent, elsewhere in Edinburgh for a very long time."

Heritage watchdogs also blasted the design of the new scheme.

Martin Hulse, director of the Cockburn Association, said: "It is slightly boring. The architecture is too uniform. What we would like to see is two architect firms hired to produce a design which is vibrant. The council really want something special put there and I don’t think this is special."

A spokeswoman for George Wimpey said: "Following a decision of refusal of a previous application by George Wimpey, the company entered into detailed discussions with senior planning officials and key members of the council. There has been a significant reappraisal which has resulted in a solution which is wholly consistent with the design brief approved by the council in November.

"The detailed responses are to individual areas of character, in particular enhancing the setting of the listed buildings, respecting the environment of the ‘colonies’ and bringing vitality through a mixed use development to the Leith Walk frontage.

"One significant change has been to increase the level of landscaping amenity of the development from 17 per cent to nearly 34 cent of the site.

"Additionally by providing discreet parking, the design creates an attractive environment which will benefit not only the residents but the community as a whole."