Tuesday 20 September 2011

Hotels NOT Homes?

Why does Edinburgh Council insist on creating more hotels in the Old Town when what is needed is some HOUSING!
Last week the Evening News announced that a large redevelopment site (which was approved for mixed uses (including 80 flats) around Cockburn St and Advocates Close has been changed to a large hotel complex with serviced apartments. This was approved as a 'variation' to the existing consent rather than a new application and therefore went by fairly unnoticed and the development is now well underway.
The loss of regular housing to holiday and student accommodation is reaching crisis point!
What is the council doing to stem the loss of longer term residents and families from the Old Town? Much lip-service is given to the importance of Edinburgh being a LIVABLE city but prioritising tourist and students needs over more permanent residents cannot be sustainable.


 Over the last 10 years we have seen the Old Town streets turned from a mix of housing , quality shops, independent traders and businesses to tartan tat, tourist accommodation, sandwich shops and cafes through sloppy planning and uncontrolled 'economic developmet' (as long as the rent goes up it good!) Now the residential sector in the Old Town is headed in the same direction.

Whilst Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government celebrate the development of more council housing for Edinburgh, no support is given to even general housing in the City Centre.

Last week also saw the submission of a revised planning application for the Fire Site on Cowgate. Out with the Allan Murray designs for SOCO and in with a new plan, although it doesn't seem to have improved much. Here is an opportunity to create some good city centre housing for rent through the council or one of the housing associations in line with the council's original development brief for the site, rather than revised plan for another massive hotel.

The application is now live and you can submit your comments and look at the plans in more detail here





2 comments:

  1. I just want to say that we can easily stay at homes instead of hotels, because we can avail many free services in homes instead of hotels.

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