The meeting included a discussion of two applications for planning permission, one application for planning permission in principle and the minutes from the previous Development Management Sub-Committee meeting. The report pack also contains the protocol for the upcoming hearing for the planning permission in principle application.

Mixed Use development to the south west of Meadowfield Farm

The meeting will include a discussion of an application for planning permission in principle for a large scale mixed use development on land to the south west of Meadowfield Farm on Turnhouse Road. It is the second scheme to be submitted for the site, the first being withdrawn after significant changes were made during the application process. The report pack states that the proposed development is for a maximum of 3,005 homes, a 50,000 square metre office development and a range of other commercial uses, including hotels and shops.

The application will be determined by the committee after the conclusion of a hearing, at which the Crosswind Developments (applicant), Lichfields (agent), Mott MacDonald (transport consultant) and JM Architects (project architect) will be in attendance. The planning report, prepared by the Chief Planning Officer, contains a discussion of the spatial strategy for West Edinburgh as it is presented in the Local Development Plan - City Plan 2030, which was adopted in June 2024.

This plan identifies West Edinburgh as a 'Major New Development Area' and allocates the application site as Housing Proposal 'H61 Crosswinds' where up to 2,500 residential units are identified as part of the creation of a new urban quarter. The application site is subject to the principles of the recently adopted West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework. This document sets out the requirement for a master planned approach to the area, which the application seeks to provide.

The application, which will be decided upon after the conclusion of a hearing, is recommended for approval, subject to conditions and the conclusion of a legal agreement.

Erection of a dwelling house at 24 Cammo Crescent

The report pack contains an application for planning permission for the erection of a two-storey dwelling house, at 24 Cammo Crescent, to the rear of the existing property on the site. The report pack notes that the scheme is a re-submission of a previous application for a larger house that was refused and subsequently withdrawn. The revised scheme includes a reduction in the size of the house and some changes to the layout and design.

The application is recommended for refusal, with the Chief Planning Officer identifying that the proposals fail to comply with a number of policies in the Local Development Plan - City Plan 2030 including 'Hou 1' ('Housing Development') and 'Env 1' ('Design Quality and Context') and 'Env 33' ('Amenity'). The report states that the application received 37 representations in support of the proposal, and four representations objecting to it, in addition to comments from the Council's Transport Planning service.

The report identifies that the proposal is likely to have an unacceptable impact on the 'spatial pattern' of the area and would result in a loss of amenity for the occupiers of the existing property at 24 Cammo Crescent.

Change of use and extension of existing office building at 10 Orchard Brae

The meeting will include the determination of a planning application for the change of use and extension of the existing office building at 10 Orchard Brae. The proposed development would provide 301 student bed spaces, 65 homes, and 124 square metres of flexible/co-working space. The student accommodation proposed is 'purpose built student accommodation' (PBSA).

The report pack notes that the application site is identified in the Local Development Plan - City Plan 2030 as housing proposal 'H34: Orchard Brae' where the plan identifies an expectation that 124 homes would be delivered on the site.

The application seeks to make use of an existing vacant office building which fronts Orchard Brae. This building would be partially demolished and the remaining structure refurbished and extended. A new building containing the homes would be constructed to the rear of the site, on land that is currently used for car parking. The proposed development includes the formation of new open spaces and play areas.

The application, which attracted 148 objections and 43 comments in support, is recommended for refusal. The report states that the application site does not meet the requirements of 'Policy Hou 5' ('Student Accommodation') of the Local Development Plan - City Plan 2030 because less than 50% of the development would be homes. The report also identifies that the principle of the development is unacceptable as it would not deliver the expected number of homes required by the housing land allocation. It is noted that the application has an extant permission for 151 homes on the site. This permission was granted on 7th September 2023.