Sea change for ex-Agilent site

The technology firm submitted a planning application to the council last year to re- develop the site for residential use as well as for retail and business units.

Now officials have recommended that councillors approve the application at a meeting of the council's planning committee next week.

Agilent, which formed as a spin-off from Hewlett Packard, moved to a smaller office at Edinburgh Park after slashing staff numbers at its former South Queensferry base at Scotstoun Avenue/Ashburnham Loan.

Now it is hoping to offer the land to developers keen to build the mixed-use development. Paul Gourlay, Agilent's workplace services manager for West Europe, said: "We've been working closely with Edinburgh City Council to deliver a high-quality, mixed-use development.

"It's mainly residential but, in addition, there's provision for some units that would be a mix of retail and potentially office. The consultation process has gone smoothly and we're delighted that the city planning officers support the proposals."

If the plans get the go-ahead from councillors, there will be 450 homes in total, including affordable units and a mix of detached, semi-detached, terraced and flatted properties.

Both Queensferry and District Community Council and local councillor Norman Work have previously welcomed the plans. However, heritage body The Cockburn Association, while backing the proposals in principle, has raised concerns.

Jon Grounsell, convener of the association's cases committee, said: "Our main concern with the proposed application layout is for the separate and distinct identity of Dalmeny village.

"The new housing will extend beyond the established building line of the housing estates to the south of Scotstoun Avenue and we think this should be strongly resisted.

"There is a very grave danger that South Queensferry and Dalmeny will appear to have coalesced if development proceeds as envisaged.

"We would (also] wish to see a more low-rise/high density approach being taken, with compact forms and tight land use."

Agilent, which has its HQ in California, works in the fields of life sciences, electronics and chemical analysis.

When it cut staff numbers in Edinburgh from around 400 to about 200, the Queensferry office was then too big for its needs.