PLANS have been submitted to Edinburgh city planners to build a new five storey block of flats on the site of a car park in Leith.
The car park on Tower Street would be knocked through in place of a new block, comprising five storeys and 19 one-, two-, and three-bedroom flats.
The block would utilise a contemporary design, with generous a glass frontage, peaked roofs and a stone facade, in keeping with the architectural style of the buildings in the area.
Nigel Jones Architects, which has developed the plans on behalf of SC Leith Limited, says the development offers a “compelling opportunity” to reinforce the recent redevelopment of the area.
Tower Street used to be a predominantly industrial road but has undergone extensive changes in recent years.
The road, which falls within the Leith conservation area, is now primarily residential and planners claim this new development offers “a compelling opportunity to reinforce the urban corner and provide a high-quality residential frontage”.
The application has already undergone the pre-application stage and significant public consultation and feedback, with the design now being “generally acceptable”.
15 people objected to the development during the consultation phase out of 88 consulted.
In a statement, planners said: “The site offers a compelling opportunity to reinforce the urban corner and provide a high-quality residential frontage along Tower Street.
“A massing strategy of four to six storeys would align with the existing street wall, potentially utilizing a ‘stepping’ profile to respect the light and views of adjacent properties.
“To harmonize with the Leith vernacular, the material palette should favour natural sandstone or high-quality masonry, perhaps accented by zinc cladding on set-back upper floors.
“The southern orientation of the long frontage is particularly advantageous, offering significant potential for passive solar gain.”
A previous planning application, which would retain the parking provision next to the building and would have seen a four or five storey block erected, was approved.
These plans never came to fruition, but a new attempt has now been made, this time for a five-storey block of flats.
The new block will attempt to create a transitional building to join the Malmaison Hotel with another apartment block on the other side, maintaining the same street and roof line and reestablishing the street frontage.
The planners continued: “The proposal is designed as a transitional building between Malmaison and the apartment block to the east, the building line is stepped back in line with the apartments to the East and creates a green buffer along the northern edge of the street.
“The proposal takes design cues from the traditional frontage of Malmaison’s gable and chimney frontage.
“The design has drawn upon the gable form and dormers of the former ‘Sailors Home’ building and the historic roof orientation and gable frontages of the warehouses that once occupied the site.
“The proposal repeats this vernacular language with a rhythm of three stone projecting gables, chimney forms and pitched roofs that are designed to break the mass of the development.
“This form reinforces the design and integrates with the established residential character and uses of Tower Street.”
The design will utilise a stone-led facade in keeping with the character of the Leith conservation area.
The apartment will feature a large entrance lobby facing onto Tower Street as well as individual balconies and communal gardens in the rear of the building, facing away from the street.
Plans were submitted on 15 January and will be decided upon by 13 March.
The application is open for public comments on the council’s planning portal until 13 February.
Nigel Jones Architects and SC Leith Limited have been approached for comment.
