The City of Edinburgh Council's Development Management Sub-Committee met on 3 September 2025 to discuss several planning applications, primarily concerning retrospective change of use applications for short-term lets (STLs). The committee voted to refuse permission for nine STLs, and to grant permission for the conversion of a bingo hall into student accommodation.

Short-Term Let Applications

The sub-committee considered nine applications for retrospective change of use to short-term let accommodation. In each case, the recommendation of the Chief Planning Officer was to refuse the application. The committee voted to refuse each of the applications. The applications were:

• Flat 8, 4 Carrubber's Close, 135 High Street
• 68A Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2AY
• Flat 9, 5 Drummond Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9TT
• 2F4, 23 Forbes Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4EG
• 22 Randolph Lane, New Town, Edinburgh
• 1F1, 13 Union Street, Broughton
• 1F1, 18 Waverley Park, Abbeyhill
• 45 Well Court, Edinburgh, EH4 3BE
• 2F1, 100 West Bow, Edinburgh, EH1 2HH

The reasons for refusal were similar across the applications, citing conflicts with Local Development Plan (LDP) Policy Hou 6 and National Planning Framework (NPF) 4 Policy 30(e). These policies relate to the protection of residential amenity and the loss of residential accommodation. The council considered that the use of the properties as STLs would have a materially detrimental effect on the living conditions of nearby residents and that the loss of residential accommodation had not been justified by demonstrable local economic benefits.

Mecca Bingo Hall, 26 Manderston Street

The sub-committee convened to consider an application for the conversion of the Mecca Bingo Hall, 26 Manderston Street, into purpose-built student accommodation. The proposal included a new build extension, areas of infill, refurbishment of a railway arch for cycle parking, a landscaped courtyard, amenity space, and associated works.

The Chief Planning Officer recommended that the application be granted. After hearing representations, the committee voted to grant planning permission for the development.

The report noted that the site is within the Leith Conservation Area, and that the building was added to the conservation area in 2022 after consultation with the community who expressed a desire to see the building protected. The report also noted that Historic Environment Scotland had assessed the building against the criteria for listing and concluded that the building is not of special architectural or historic interest and will not be listed.

The report stated that the principle of developing student accommodation on part of an allocated site instead of the delivery of housing to satisfy the requirements of LDP policy Hou 1 and H42 of the LDP is not considered to be consistent with the overall strategy of the Local Development Plan¹. The report also stated that the site has unique characteristics that contribute towards the fact that student housing is an acceptable use in this exceptional circumstance, including that the site is within the conservation area, and therefore its demolition (in whole or part) is not a preferred option when seeking to preserve or enhance the conservation area.

The report noted that the proposed development would have to pay contributions of £109,106 to the Edinburgh Tram, and £841 per bedspace for healthcare. The report also recommended that a condition be added to the planning permission requiring that a detailed historic building survey is undertaken prior to and during demolition/strip out works of the building and attached railway arches.