Navigating Planning Permissions: A Tale from Bankhead Industrial Estate
We recently faced a frustrating setback when Edinburgh Council refused our client’s planning application for an industrial unit at Bankhead Industrial Estate. This unit had been sitting empty for over two years, and our client proposed to breathe new life into it by transforming it into a Class 4 business space—a photography studio, three small offices, a café with hot-desking, and a private social club on select nights.
The refusal was based on Policy Emp 8 and Policy 26 of NPF 4, yet there was no mention of the policies in NPF 4 that our proposal aligns with. This contradicts the Chief Planner’s guidance from February 8th, 2023, stating that NPF 4 should be read as a whole, not piecemeal.
And as if that wasn’t enough, when I visited the site, I discovered a caravan that, according to my client, has been parked there for over six months! My response? “Only 3.5 years to go, and we can apply for residential!” Sometimes, you really can’t make this stuff up.
Despite these challenges, we’re committed to finding a path forward that aligns with both policy and our client’s vision. Onward and upward!
#UrbanPlanning #PlanningPermission #Edinburgh #NPF4 #CommercialRealEstate #IndustrialEstate #PolicyMatters #DevelopmentChallenges #Regeneration #Class4Business #PlanningPolicy #PropertyDevelopment #AdaptiveReuse #SustainableDevelopment #CommunityEngagement #CityPlanning
Strategic Planning Director at Springfield Properties PLC
1yI agree Tommy, there is little or no accountability for the quality of the planning service across Scotland compared with the cost to applicants. John Watchman (SPEL editor) has written many articles about the efficiency of the service over the years. Worth a read.