Leith Walk development: Proposal for 230 student beds 54 flats put on hold by councillors

Councillors have halted plans to approve a Leith Walk development that would bring a mixture of student and residential housing following concerns from Leith residents. A hearing at the next Development Management Sub-Committee meeting is expected to take place in the coming months that will see the applicant CW Properties, ward councillors and residents comment on the proposal.

The committee decision comes after local residents voiced concerns that the development fails to honour the Halmyre Street Place Brief – a council document ‘established to shape the future development of a site’ and will reduce the amount of daylight entering some neighbouring properties.

Plans for the site at 139 Leith Walk propose the erection of four buildings including two five-storey buildings and one six-storey building, providing 230 student beds, 27 affordable flats, 27 build-to-rent properties and three commercial units.

Councillor Hal Osler, committee convener, described the proposal as ‘complex’ adding the committee would benefit from a hearing that allows the applicant to explain the proposal and to listen to the community’s concerns. Initial plans were put forward in April last year with a revised proposal submitted later in the year following objections from the local community.

But members from three Leith community councils say the proposal ignores public consultation included in the 2020 place brief where the local community expressed a need for affordable housing and that plans contravene the council’s Student Housing Guidance that stipulates sites greater than 0.25ha must provide residential housing that represents ‘a minimum of 50 per cent of the total new build housing.’

Pierre Forissier, planning convener for Leith central community council said: “The brief says there can student housing but this must be balanced and there was concern that this applicant has misinterpreted the brief by having predominantly student housing on site.

“The most recent figures show there is 55 per cent student housing and 45 per cent for other housing. The council has made a document that has been ignored and the provision of affordable housing is just not right.”

One Leith Walk resident, David Walliker said he fears the new development will reduce daylight coming into his property. He said: “It’s an enormous height and very close to this building. If you are a resident on this side, this building is really boxing you in.”

Daylight analysis on neighbouring buildings concluded that 65 out of 68 windows assessed passed the standard set out in the Edinburgh Design Guidance (retaining 80 per cent of its existing daylight) with three windows found to retain between 56 and 76 per cent.

Bruce Weir, managing director of CW Properties, said the development was altered to provide more affordable flats following community objections and the company ‘adapted the layout so there is very little overshadowing of any surrounding properties’ adding properties affected ‘failed marginally.’

Mr Weir said they received few objections to their second proposal and by increasing the number of affordable flats from 18 to 27 were ‘plugging a big hole in the market for rental properties in that area.’

Mr Weir added: “We have spent four years working on the planning application process and consulted with the other owners and we feel between the three stakeholders and in consultation with council planners that we have absolutely taken cognisance of the place brief.”

Jack Caldwell, Lib Dem councillor for Leith Walk, said: “The community asked the site is utilised for social-rent housing and public space. It’s incredibly important we get this right given its location and the large impact it will have on a lot of neighbouring properties and the fabric of Leith Walk itself.”

Susan Rae, Green councillor for Leith Walk, said: “Given the complexity of this proposal and the level of community concern, it’s essential that local people are given a voice to raise their objections. We don’t need any more student housing in Leith – what we need is more social rented housing, which this application doesn’t provide enough of.”