SHRUB HILL SAINSBURY'S SEEK SUNDAY DELIVERIES

Submitted by Editor on Tue, 16/12/2014 - 11:19

The lovely people at Sainsbury’s have applied to vary a condition of their planning permission to allow Sunday deliveries (13/00241/FUL) at 7 Shrub Place. (Ref. 14/05060/FUL).

This before a single brick has been laid or a lone fish finger has started picking out curtain fabric for its new home.

We are glad to see that CEC’s Environmental Services already take a dim view of the proposal. They write:

Commercial deliveries can be noisy activities, for example, the process of lorries reversing with audible warnings, voices being raised, the use of metal cages and roller doors being opened and closed. Because these activates take place in an open environment, there is no way of ensuring the level of noise generated does not breach acceptable standards in nearby residential dwellings; particularly on Sundays when background noise is generally at lower levels.
Environmental Assessment recommends that this application be refused as there is no proposed method of noise control to safeguard existing amenity.

Spurtle hopes the Council will take pity on weary neighbours and Sabbath-observing students, and throw out the proposal. In this respect, recent decisions regarding mooted extensions to deliveries at Tesco on Broughton Road and Batleys on McDonald Place were very welcome.

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Meanwhile, those other lovely people at Tesco have been given the go-ahead for amended alterations to the front and rear of their forthcoming branch at 30–30A Dundas Street (Ref. 14/02746/FUL).

The current shopfront will be kept rather than replaced by a shiny new aluminium one. The existing doors will be automated. ‘The streetscape is to be modified with improvements to the disabled access ramp as well as new railings.’ CEC Planners want to see more detail on the railings before work starts.

At the back, ugly air conditioning units formerly proposed for the roof will be moved inside, with minor changes to accommodate them.

These amendments represent minor victories in what many see as an overall loss for the neighbourhood.

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Local resident Moira Ross has applied for permission to change the Brandon Terrace police box into a flower and crafts stall with community uses (Ref. 14/05009/FUL).

Her plans include replacing broken glass, installing lights, forming a hatch and awnings, hanging baskets, and a new paint job in various tasteful greens.

We are not entirely clear about the community uses, but they may include a blackboard on which to write messages.

So far, Spurtle can see no way in which this potential addition to the area isn’t a thoroughly good thing. We show the structure in its most recent community-friendly guise last year.

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We have long held that there are not nearly enough Class 2 financial and professional services in the New Town, so were thrilled to hear that this is the new use proposed by Joint Properties Limited for 28A Dundas Street (Ref. 14/04832/LBC).

The premises were formerly occupied by an Emma Bridgewater pottery and homeware outlet, one of many local shops Spurtle has been unwilling to enter for fear of accidentally breaking something.

If only Paul Munzi had concentrated on sensible career choices as a child, just think what he would have been able to make of the former solicitor’s office at 23B Dundas Street. Instead, he has sought and been granted permission to change it into an art gallery, teaching space and studio (Ref. 14/04182/FUL).

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Haddington-based Edinburgh Craft Brew (Holdings) Ltd have been granted permission to redecorate and re-light the basement exterior at 26B Dublin Street (Refs 14/04536/FUL and 14/04532/ADV).

Out will go the existing fake timber windows of the old New Town Bar. In will come a new slate-grey exterior and ‘Spitfire’ identity.

Given what we know of the new bar so far, plus the fact that it is to have a crank handle for its logo, and a life jacket as its exterior hanging sign, who can make a connection between the photo (above) and a Broughton-based beer?

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