Planning consent has been granted for the erection of two new mews flats in the gardens of Nos 60 and 62 Great King Street (Ref. 12/03869/FUL). The properties will be accessed from S.W. Cumberland Street Lane.
Planning permission had already been granted for differently designed mews dwellings here in 2007, but they were never built. The new plans conform to subsequently revised Planning policy, but are similar to the previous application in massing and scale, and echo a similar development behind 55 Great King Street.
One day, all back gardens in the New Town will have mews flats in them, and so will the gardens of the mews flats themselves. Within the back greens of the mews flats' mews flats will be sentry boxes, ideal for first-time buyers seeking elegant, no-frills central locations.
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Despite all the recent Council hoo-ha attending shop frontages and their accoutrements on neighbouring Broughton Street premises, permission has been granted for minor changes to the colour scheme and a new projecting sign for Greggs at No. 27 (Ref. 12/04105/ADV).
Planning officers opined:
'Whilst it is acknowledged that the design and colour of the existing shopfront is of merit and the addition of a further colour to the fascia area might detract from its traditional simplistic design, prior to the recent consents having been implemented, the property had applied box fascia signage and was painted a purple colour. Taking this factor into consideration, the addition of the blue colour along the narrow fascia area will not significantly adversely affect the visual amenity of the listed building or that of the surrounding New Town Character Appraisal.
'The repainting of the fascia background is acceptable. The projecting sign is restrained and appropriate to the building.
'The proposals do not adversely affect the visual amenity of the listed building or that of the surrounding New Town Conservation Area. The advertisement will not prejudice road safety within the surrounding road network.'
A bit wordy, perhaps, but ultimately the right decision. Why couldn't similar common sense have been promptly applied to earlier cases?