Short-term let accommodation at 6 Almond Bank Cottages, Cramond, Edinburgh

“The application property is a small ground floor flatted dwelling, approximately 40 square meters, within a two-storey terraced residential block on Whitehouse Road. It has its own main door adjacent to the main road and comprises an open kitchen/living space and one bedroom with an en-suite.”

“The property has a patio door from its bedroom that provides access to a small rear private garden. The private garden is bordered by fencing and is next to garden space for other residential units within the block. The gardens are bordered by the terraced block, a nursery, a house, and a narrow road and woodlands.”

“23/04607/CLESTL 6 Almond Bank Cottages Edinburgh EH4 6PJ Application for the issue of a certificate of lawfulness confirming its existing use and a short-term let visitor accommodation. withdrawn 14 May 2024”

“There is no pre-application process history.”

“The change of use of the property to a short term let (STL) will have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity. The loss of the residential accommodation has not been justified. Whilst it is recognised that there is an economic benefit to the City as a whole from the provision of tourist accommodation, in this case it does not outweigh the adverse impact on residential amenity or the loss of residential accommodation.”

“The proposal does not comply with the Development Plan policies LDP Hou 6 and NPF4 30(e). There are no material considerations that outweigh this conclusion. The proposal is unacceptable.”

“NPF4 Policy 30(e) part(ii) requires that where there is a loss of residential accommodation, this will only be supported where the loss is outweighed by demonstrable local economic benefits.”

“Given the declared housing emergency and pressures on residential accommodation in Edinburgh, in addition to the economic and societal benefits that residential accommodation in the City brings in terms of people being able to live, work and contribute to their community, significant weight has to be given to the retention of existing residential accommodation.”

“− Any amenity impact from the use of the property as an STL is mitigated by the property's modest size. − STL use of the property will be governed by the STL Licensing Scheme, which protects neighbouring amenity. − STL use of the property will result in economic benefit which outweighs any potential loss of residential accommodation. − The property is of a type unlikely to be attractive to long-term residents given its small size.”

“25/02091/FULSTL– Report by the Chief Planning Officer To REFUSE planning permission for the reasons set out in section C of the report by the Chief Planning Officer.”