Save Iona Street

The proposal
Our aim
Our concerns
Where we are now
What you can do
Useful links

The proposal

Manson Planning have submitted a planning application (20/00972/FUL) to demolish Thornbridge Woodmill on 48-50 Iona Street and redevelop the lot into a housing development.

The development will directly affect residents on Iona Street, Buchanan Street, Albert Street and Sloan Street, as well as having an impact on the wider community surrounding the site.

The full planning application has now been submitted on the Edinburgh City Council planning portal here.

The period for commenting on the application closed on Friday 14 August 2020.

Our aim

We are a group of residents who are working to raise awareness of and positively influence the development so that it best meets the needs of the local community.

What we believe the community needs from this development
– We want a development that welcomes everyone, including students, and believe this is best achieved by mixed-use housing only – not dedicated student accommodation but primarily affordable and social housing
– A maximum of three stories, so that the eaves of the new building are the same height as those on the buildings opposite, with no additional floors above
– Adequate parking provisions on site
– A smaller scale development with less people
– A public space within the development
– A tenement development that matches the surrounding buildings in style
– The development to be set back from the road with green space in front
– Contribute to local services, for example by integrating a GP surgery in the development

Our concerns

Density of current and proposed student accommodation in the area
There are currently over 10 developed or proposed student accommodation within half a mile of this development.

Lack of Social and Affordable Housing within development
Only 25% of the residential housing (12.5% of the total development) in the current proposal is set aside for affordable housing

Height of proposed building
The current proposal is for 6 stories, higher than all other buildings on the street, and this is without chimney flutes or roof garden access. This will dramatically reduce the light levels available to neighbouring properties overlooking the site, as well as fundamentally changing the look and feel of Iona Street.

Impact on a conservation area
Numbers 21-71 on the north side of Iona Street are part of the Leith conservation area. The proposed development will dramatically reduce the light levels available to these properties, as well as fundamentally changing the look and feel of this section of Iona Street which is within a conservation area.

Parking
The current proposal has only 2 allocated parking spaces for entire development – which are for maintenance workers.

Density of housing and resulting strain on local services and amenities
Bins overflowing, GPs, Dentists, schools, etc are already overstretched.

Environmental impact
The proposal will involve around two years of construction on an area that is directly over the ‘Greenside Burn’, an underground stream that has caused serious subsidence problems for neighbouring flats (Buchanan St) before attempted construction had to halt in 2002.

Where we are now

July 2020
The developer made a some amendments to the designs of the proposed development. The period for commenting on the changes to the application closed on Friday 14 August.

May 2020
The period for submitting comments on the application closed on Sunday 3 May. The application will now be assessed by the Edinburgh City Council Planning Committee. Thank you to everyone who submitted an objection against the application.

9 March 2020
Full planning application sent live on Edinburgh City Council Planning Portal here. The period for submitting comments on the application has now closed.

February 2020
11 Feb: A small group of residents met with Manson Planning to discuss changes made to their proposal in response to the feedback from residents at the September consultation events. This revised proposal is available to view here.
w/c 24 Feb: Residents will meet to discuss the revised plans. Details about the meeting will be available on our Facebook page or email Saveionastreet@outlook.com for more info.

16 September 2019
Manson Planning presented to the Leith Central Community Council on . The feedback from this and the public consultation events should inform their final planning submission. You can read the minutes of this meeting, including additional comments from Manson Planning here.

2 & 3 September 2019
Manson Planning held public consultation events at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Dalmeny St.

What you can do

The planning application is now live on the Edinburgh City Council planning portal here. The period for submitting comments on the application has now closed.

Other things you can do:

Speak to your neighbours
Raise awareness about the development with neighbours and let them know what is happening

Facebook
Share the Save Iona Street Facebook page with your friends and family

Stay up to date
Sign up to the local residents’ mailing list, email saveionastreet@outlook.com

Get involved
Join the local residents’ group, email saveionastreet@outlook.com

Put up posters
Put up the Save Iona Street poster in your stairwell, in local shops, pubs, community centres. You can download the poster here (a simple printout will do the job).

Contact the people who will make the decision
Email members of the Edinburgh City Council Planning Committee about any concerns you may have. An email template and contact details for the committee members are available here.

Email your local representatives to let them know about any concerns you may have
Deidre Brock, MP Edinburgh North and Leith deidre.brock.mp@parliament.uk
Ben MacPherson, MSP Edinburgh Northern and Leith ben.macpherson.msp@parliament.scot
Amy Mcneese-Mechan, Leith Walk Ward councillor – SNP amy.mcneese-mechan2@edinburgh.gov.uk
Rob Munn, Leith Walk Ward councillor – SNP and member of ECC Planning Committee rob.munn@edinburgh.gov.uk
Susan Rae, Leith Walk Ward councillor – Scottish Green susan.rae@edinburgh.gov.uk
Lewis Ritchie, Leith Walk Ward councillor – Independent lewis.ritchie@edinburgh.gov.uk

Useful links

Full planning application on the Edinburgh Council Council planning portal (March 2020)
https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=Q6D6A6EWK3K00&activeTab=summary

Pre-planning application on Edinburgh City Council website (September 2019)
https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=PW47B0EW0XE00

Pre-planning presentation on the proposed development from Manson Planning (September 2019)
https://leithccc.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/2317_lccc_presentation_20190916.pdf

Minutes from the Leith Central Community Council meeting on 16 September, featuring comments made by local residents and elected off and responses from Manson Planning
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0cbNVYU6ynjY01Kc1ZVVjlONFNRaTRxbGZKUXhrOW4wdVNz/view

Save Iona Street Facebook page

Save Iona Street poster