In today’s edition:
Dundas Street hotel, etc plans submitted;
Re-submitted: Henderson Row office-to-residential plans;
‘Tram Trains’ feasibility study promised in SNP manifesto;
Examined: ‘green’ data centres;
Architect, Ian Begg, remembered;
Views sought on proposed streets improvements in Craigmillar and Niddrie;
Views sought on Craigmount High School expansion plans;
Tollcross clock to be soon restored and returned?;
Wanted: views on community grant allocation;
Beach clean and litter picks: Wardie Bay, Calton Hill and Drumbrae Park;
Primary school refurbishment completed, with at least one new school being pursued;
Drylaw shopping centre: improvements reportedly starting next month;
Victoria and other schools, Newhaven;
Demolition reportedly agreed for several buildings at Western General Hospital;
Average house price, Scotland; and
Enjoy, see you next Friday!
Dundas Street hotel, etc plans submitted
PLANS have been lodged for a hotel, restaurant and bar at the bottom of Dundas Street, on its west side - just up from Clark’s Bar.
It follows the submission of a Proposal of Application Notice, which involved two in-person consultation events - in January and February.
The PAN (here, ref: 25/06640/PAN) was seeking the demolition of both Centrum House and neighbouring Bupa House.
Says the current planning application (here, ref: 26/01504/FUL) - which is on behalf of Dakota Hotels - the design seeks to echo the massing of neighbouring properties, ie to create a coherent streetscape.
According to the architects, Morgan Architects, here: “The proposed building height is approximately 580mm higher than the existing buildings on the site, while remaining lower than the Georgian corner building opposite Fettes Row.
“This ensures that the development maintains the characteristic stepping of rooflines as the streets rise toward the core of the New Town. The massing has been carefully arranged to respond to the surrounding context, with volumes that sit comfortably alongside the neighbouring Georgian, Victorian and contemporary buildings.”
The story is picked up by the website, Urban Realm, here.
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Re-submitted: Henderson Row office-to-residential plans
PLANS to convert an office block on Henderson Row into 63 build-to-rent apartments have been re-submitted, following a rejection last year by the city council’s Development Management sub-committee (here - agenda item 4.5).
The application this time around (here, ref: 26/01640/FUL) is to remove the upper level - called a ‘mansard roof’ - and add a further two, including a ‘mansard’.
The architects are CDA.
The building was first a trams power station and depot for Edinburgh Northern Tram Company - as described here. They are currently owned by pensions, investment and life assurance group, Royal London.
Key among the proposed changes is an increase in the size of one-bedroom apartments and improved cycle storage - with the result that the now proposed scheme is two apartments shy of the original.
Says a design statement, here: “The double-height mansard roof has been omitted and, in its place, it is proposed to continue the existing stone and render up one additional storey (third floor) and to reinstate a new, single-storey mansard to fourth floor.
“This will allow the building to be read as a four-storey building with a roof – much like the surrounding tenements – rather than reading as a three-storey building with a top-heavy, two-storey roof.
“The new storey will be predominantly clad in stone and will, therefore, be in-keeping with the character of the existing building and wider conservation area.”
The story is picked up by the website, Urban Realm, here.
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‘Tram Trains’ feasibility study promised in SNP manifesto
A FEASIBILITY study into proposals to re-open the South Suburban rail line to passenger traffic and have it connected to the city’s tram network - using ‘Tram Trains’ - has been promised by the SNP in its manifesto for the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections.
Says its manifesto - here, page 64 - the SNP declares: “Tram Trains have been established in a variety of European cities, and most recently in Cardiff. We will commission a full feasibility study for the use of Tram Trains on the South Suburban line in Edinburgh and support the next stages of the feasability [sic] work of the Clyde Metro proposals, to determine if they are an efficient investment of public money to improve the public transport offering in our two biggest cities and help foster economic growth.”
Read more about Tram Trains, here, on BuildEdinburgh.
The story is picked up by the Edinburgh Inquirer website, here.
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Examined: ‘green’ data centres
THE pros and cons of building so-called ‘green’ data centres is examined in a ‘long read’ published by the Edinburgh Inquirer website.
Penned - here - by award-winning young engineer, Corey Boyle.
Arguments for building them in Scotland partly centre on an over-supply of renewable energy, to the extent that tens of millions of pounds are having to be paid to have wind turbines switched off.
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Architect, Ian Begg, remembered
A TRIBUTE to the Scots architect who designed the Radisson Blu hotel on the High Street is taking place next month.
Ian Begg, who died nine years ago, is also known for his restoration of several Scots castles.
It is taking place at the Radisson Blu, on May 18; details here.
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Views sought on proposed streets improvements in Craigmillar and Niddrie
VIEWS are being sought on proposed improvements to several streets in Craigmillar and Niddrie.
The streets include Peffermill Road from Prestonfield Avenue to the junction with Duddingston Road West, Cairntows Park, and Niddrie Mains Road west from Duddingston Road West to Greendykes Road.
Two drop-in events have been scheduled for next month, along with an online poll open until July 8.
Read more, here.
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Views sought on Craigmount High School expansion plans
VIEWS are being sought on plans - noted here, on BuildEdinburgh - to expand Craigmount High School, just east of Maybury Road.
An online poll has been published - along with draft drawings - by the city council, here, which closes on June 10.
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Tollcross clock to be soon restored and returned?
HOPES are high that the historic clock that, until four years ago, occupied a site at the intersection of roads at Tollcross will be soon restored and returned.
On Tuesday, the city council’s Finance committee is being asked - here, agenda item 7.6 - to approve a cost estimate of £72,572, excluding VAT.
Say papers, here, being presented to councillors: “The Tollcross clock was built by James Ritchie and Sons in 1901. Its historic importance is recognised as it is a C-listed structure.”
The story is picked up by The Edinburgh Reporter website, here.
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Wanted: views on community grant allocation
VIEWS are being sought as to how a community grants scheme might be differently operated.
Says the city council, which operates the scheme: “The Community Grants Fund is a small grants scheme provided by the council. Each year, community groups and other local charities can apply for up to £5,000 to develop and deliver activity in their local area that will benefit or add value to their community.
”Currently, a funding panel in each area decides which projects get funded each year.
“They base their decisions on what they feel is needed most in their community. Funding panel members include ward councillors, community councillors and representatives from local community organisations.”
Read more, here. And complete an online survey.
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Deaths among homeless people
BEGINS ‘local democracy reporter’ (his post paid for by the BBC), Joe Sullivan: “Some 56 homeless people in Edinburgh reportedly died in 2025, according to council data released under Freedom of Information legislation.
“People in temporary accommodation made up 37 of the deaths, while those out of temporary accommodation made up 19.
“The causes of the 56 total deaths were not reported in the response, but it is understood that at least some were due to natural causes.”
Read more, here, on the website of broadcasters, STV.
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Beach clean and litter picks: Wardie Bay, Calton Hill and Drumbrae Park
A BEACH clean is taking place at Wardie Bay, on Sunday.
It is being organised by the ‘secular congregation’, Sunday Assembly Edinburgh, and begins at 10am.
More details, here, on eventbrite.
And a litter pick is taking place tomorrow, on Calton Hill. From 10am.
Plus, there is a litter pick at Drumbrae Park - on Sunday, from 11am.
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Primary school refurbishment completed, with at least one new school being pursued
WHAT is being described as “significant refurbishment and retrofit work” at Brunstane Primary School has been completed - according to the city council.
Says the council, here: “The improvement works adopted a ‘fabric first’ approach – a sustainable building design strategy that maximises the performance of materials and components aiming to reduce energy demand and carbon impact.
“Following the works, the school building has achieved the highest EPC rating of A, acknowledging the energy efficiency of the building.”
Meanwhile, planning permission is being sought for at least one new primary school in the city.
A planning application (here, ref: 26/01502/PAN) has been lodged for the demolition of the existing Fox Covert Primary School, in Clerwood, and then a brand-new replacement.
A PAN (Proposal of Application Notice) requires some form of public consultation before the submission of a more formal planning application. And two events have been organised - both taking place at the current school: Thursday, 2pm-6pm and Thursday May 28 (same times).
Meanwhile, a second new primary school may be soon in the offing - for Gracemount (ref: 26/01498/SCR) - but no details are currently showing on the city’s planning applications portal.
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Drylaw shopping centre: improvements reportedly starting next month
IMPROVEMENTS to Drylaw shopping centre - straddling Ferry Road and Easter Drylaw Place - are reportedly to begin next month.
Says North Edinburgh News website, here: “Works are scheduled to begin on Tuesday 5 May and complete on Wednesday 24 June (these dates may require to change).”
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Victoria and other schools, Newhaven
A SERIES of articles about Edinburgh’s schools from yesteryear continues with a look at Victoria and other schools, in Newhaven.
Local history expert, Andy Arthur, writes about it, here, on his website, Threadinburgh.
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Demolition reportedly agreed for several buildings at Western General Hospital
A ‘BUSINESS case’ to demolish several buildings at the Western General Hospital has reportedly been approved by NHS Lothian’s board.
Say several media outlets - including here and here - the buildings identified are either derelict or no longer fit for purpose.
Writes local democracy reporter (his post paid for by the BBC), Joe Sullivan, on the website of broadcasters, STV (here): “At Wednesday’s board meeting, members voted to pursue the less expensive of two demolition options that had been proposed, with a cost estimate of £23.2m.
“On security, the report stated there had been instances of ‘trespassing, vandalism and theft’ in a number of the buildings concerned, with 46 incidents recorded since January 2024.”
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Average house price, Scotland
THE average price of a house in Scotland, during February, was £187,000 - according to the Registers of Scotland.
Says RoS, here, that’s 2.3 per cent up on the same time last year but 0.6 per cent down on the previous month, January.
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Image details: Dean Village; copyright Mike Wilson