Flat 2 3 Merchant Street Edinburgh EH1 2QD Data via plota.co.uk

25/05288/FULSTL - Planning Permission STL Refused

Proposal

Retrospective change of use from flat to short term let (sui generis). Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked 12 Oct 2026, 05:16

Street View

Application progress

✓

Received

6 Oct 2025

✓

Validated

8 Oct 2025

✗

Refused

23 Jan 2026

Appeal

Not lodged

Refused on 23 Jan 2026 · Local Delegated Decision · Last checked 12 Oct 2026

Documents 10

Site constraints 5

Grade B listed: 3 Merchant Street, Edinburgh

List entry LB29329 · 10 m away · 55 more listed buildings within 150 m (13 Grade A, 31 Grade B, 11 Grade C)

Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.

Show the other 55 with distances

16 mThe Protestant Institute Of Scotland, 17, 18, 19 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
17 m16 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
18 m35-37 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
18 m35-37 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
21 m31, 33 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
34 mMagdalen Chapel, 41 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade A
37 m62 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade C
43 mLivingstone House, 17-39 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade C
46 m44, 45, 46, 47 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade C
47 m56, 56A Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade C
49 mFrankenstein Pub, 26 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
51 mGeorge Buchanan's Monument, Churchyard, Greyfriars Church, Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade A
55 m27 And 28 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
56 m50, 52, 54 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
58 mGeorge Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade A
60 m39 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade C
62 mAugustine Bristo Congregational Church, 41-43 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
66 m46, 48 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
70 mBalustrade, Gates, Gatepiers and Lamp Standards, Central Library, George IV Bridge, EdinburghGrade A
71 m32 And 34 George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
75 m44 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade C
75 mBank Of Scotland, 32-32A Chambers Street, EdinburghGrade B
80 m42 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade A
82 mEdinburgh Dental Hospital And School, 30-31 Chambers Street, EdinburghGrade B
89 m13-15 Cowgatehead, EdinburghGrade C
92 mFine Art Department, Central Public Library, George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade B
96 mClinic, 14-20 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade B
100 mGreyfriars Bobby Fountain, George Iv Bridge, EdinburghGrade A
101 mGreyfriars Hostel, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade B
104 m1-2 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade A
105 mPublic House, 30, 32, 34 Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade B
106 mNational Library of Scotland, 57 George IV Bridge, EdinburghGrade A
112 m11, 13, 15 Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade C
121 m114, 116, 118 West Bow, 112B, EdinburghGrade B
121 m114, 116, 118 West Bow, 112B, EdinburghGrade B
122 mGreyfriars Church, Candlemaker Row, EdinburghGrade A
124 m1, 2, 3, Greyfriars Place, EdinburghGrade B
126 mSt John's Church And Parish School, 9 Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade B
132 mCrown Office, 23-25 Chambers Street, EdinburghGrade B
134 m85 Grassmarket, EdinburghGrade B
135 m4, 5, 6 Greyfriars Place, EdinburghGrade B
136 m108 West Bow, EdinburghGrade B
137 mIncluding Wall And Railings, Advocates' Library, Parliament SquareGrade A
138 m5, 7, Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade C
139 m81, 83 Grassmasket, EdinburghGrade B
140 mSociety Of Solicitors' Library, 94-116 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade A
141 m1, 3 Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade C
143 m8, 10, 12, 14, 16 Victoria Street, EdinburghGrade B
145 m98, 100, 102 West Bow, EdinburghGrade B
145 m1, 3, 5 Forrest Road, EdinburghGrade B
147 mWest Bow Well, West Bow, Grassmarket, EdinburghGrade A
147 mK6 Telephone Kiosk, Grassmarket, EdinburghGrade B
147 m80 West Bow, EdinburghGrade C
147 mTailor's Hall, 137 Cowgate, EdinburghGrade A
149 mPolice Box, Grassmarket, EdinburghGrade B

Historic Environment Scotland ↗

World heritage site: Edinburgh World Heritage Site Boundary

Nationally designated heritage. Its significance and setting carry great weight.

Registered parks and gardens, battlefields, world heritage sites and protected wrecks are designated heritage assets: harm needs clear and convincing justification.

Historic Environment Scotland ↗

Old Town conservation area

Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.

The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.

Also on the record

SSSI 269 m away: Arthur's Seat Volcano; Radon affected area, class 3.

Not affected

Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 2 November 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council: Edinburgh
Application type: Planning Permission STL
Postcode: EH1 2QD
Received: 6 Oct 2025
Validated: 8 Oct 2025
Ward: City Centre
Parish: Old Town
Case officer: Show
Target decision: 5 Dec 2025
Decision: Refused
Decision date: 23 Jan 2026
Decision level: Local Delegated Decision
Applicant: Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 107 days from validation, 47 days slower than Edinburgh's median of 60 for full applications. Refused, as 21% of full applications here are.

This one107d

Council60d

UK57d

41%decided within 8 weeks

79%approved

8%go to committee

Plota live figures for full applications decided by Edinburgh in the last twelve months, from validation. Edinburgh decision record →