Spurtle today received the 23 April response of the New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) to Hackland & Dore's pre-planning application notification for 130 McDonald Rd. Readers can see it in the pdf below.
Both NTBCC and Leith Central Community Council (LCCC) were consulted over the potential development at their mutual border. But at this stage, NTBCC have opted to respond in greater detail. Whilst expressing admiration for some aspects of the proposal (it is the best seen for the site so far), NTBCC's Planning Convenor John Knight expresses reservations over:
- Excessive bulkiness in the design
- Inexplicable provision of commercial units in an area already well served by shops
- Loss of neighbouring tenements' gable-end windows
- Overlooking
- Too much brick instead of stone.
Significantly, NTBCC also shares the concern of locals and LCCC at lack of on-site 'affordable housing', describing Hackland & Dore's off-site provision of the same as 'a cop-out'.
Interesting and important here is that both Broughton's community councils have now voiced local demand for balanced residential development in Broughton.
In other words, existing residents do not wish to attract exclusively middle-class developments (too often attracting too many buy-to-let opportunists) to their collective bosom.
In Broughton there appears to be an expectation of and desire for mixed communities.
Developers and political representatives should take note.
Background information
Issues: 155–7, 164-5, 168, 172, 180–1
Breaking news: 31.3.10, 11.5.10
Extras: 1.4.10