Student flat developers to be forced to build homes
Student flat developers to be forced to build homes
Plus: Botanics appeal to save glass houses, office rents rise and tonight's solar eclipse
Capital sets tough new rules for housing and student flat builders
Housebuilders will be told to make more than a third of properties ‘affordable homes’ to rent or buy in order to get planning permission in the Capital.
Student accommodation complexes will also be forced “where appropriate” to put aside at least half of the space on development sites for housing.
The proposals have just won the approval of the Scottish Government after 15 months of scrutiny by a Planning Reporter of the city council’s development blueprint City Plan 2030. They are now expected to be formally adopted by the local authority in June.
The city’s housing convener, Labour councillor James Dalgleish said the new regulations would help tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency. Developers have warned tougher regulation will discourage builders bringing forward proposals in the midst of a construction industry costs crisis.
The context: The Capital is in the middle of both a self-declared housing emergency - with a chronic shortage of affordable housing seeing private rent rises among the faster in Europe - and a slump in housebuilding. Work starting on new builds hit its lowest level since 1988 last year - a fall of 24% on 2022 - with rent control legislation being blamed for developers switching to the more certain returns from building student accommodation complexes.
Higher ‘affordable home’ targets: Edinburgh was the first local authority in Scotland to develop an affordable housing policy through planning – which insisted 25% of land on new development be given for affordable housing. That allocation will now increase from 25% to 35%.
The city’s planning leader says: Pointing as well to proposals in the plan for 20-minute neighbourhoods and reducing carbon in new builds, councillor Dalgleish said: “Our ambitious City Plan 2030 meets the needs of the Capital’s growing population, making better use of land across all neighbourhoods, and supporting our commitment to be net zero by 2030. I welcome the news that the Reporter has recognised and endorsed these ambitions, with only minor changes required to the Plan.”
The housebuilders say: Homes for Scotland, which represents the companies building most new homes in Scotland, says further action is needed to tackle the construction slump, including investment in the “underfunded” local planning process and a review of environment regulations that push up costs.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
BOTANICS APPEAL: The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is appealing for public support to help secure the future of its historic and beloved Palm Houses, two years after announcing a £21m restoration programme. The older of the two glass houses, the octagonal Tropical Palm House, is now 190 years old and showing its age. The Save the Palm Houses is aiming to raise £250,000 to support the ongoing work aimed at securing the future of the beautiful buildings which are home to almost a third of the Botanics’ plant collection. The RBGE cares for more than 130,000 plants and 13,500 distinct species, one of the richest collections of living plants on the planet.
POLICE OFFICER CHARGED: A police officer has been charged in connection with the death of 62-year-old Ian Hynes who died after being hit by the driver of a marked police car in Livingston. Police Scotland said a 32-year-old officer had been charged following an investigation by the police watchdog into the death of the father-of-four on Almond Link Road on Boxing Day in 2022.
SOLAR ECLIPSE: It’s been described as one of the planet’s greatest spectacles (no, we’re not still talking about the Fringe) and Edinburgh will be one place where you have a chance to glimpse it tonight. The perfect alignment of Earth, the sun and the moon means North America will experience a total solar eclipse, with much of the continent plunged into temporary darkness. A partial eclipse will be vaisible briefly, weather allowing, from Edinburgh at around 8pm (7.52pm at the earliest), with around 6% of the sun obscured. Just keep your fingers crossed for no clouds.
STORM KATHLEEN: The weekend downpours, following weeks of heavy rain, saw the Water of Leith break its banks, including at Canonmills and Murrayfield, as Storm Kathleen hit the Capital. The high winds disrupted some tram and train services while the roads were also affected with trees were blown down around the city including on Dundas Street in the New Town and along the City Bypass. A yellow weather warning for heavy rain is in place for tomorrow.
BIGGER FRINGE: This summer’s Fringe is on course to be one of the biggest in the Festival’s 77-year history as it continues to bounce back strongly after the pandemic. The 1,647 announced to date are nearly half the final total of 3,841 different shows from more than 150 countries seen in 2019, but with four months to go that puts it in line to be close to record levels. The surge of early booking acts comes despite fears the city’s crackdown on short term lets will hit the Fringe, making accommodation more unaffordable for performers and visitors.
Helping hand for performers: Hundreds of Keep It Fringe grant of £2,500 each are being made available to acts who would otherwise struggle to stage shows here in August. Fringe organisers persuaded the the UK Government to divert £1m from the £7m it has given to establish a Fringe HQ building on South Bridge to help artists instead. Actor Brian Cox has launched a fundraising drive to support a similar fund to help US performers get to Edinburgh.
Book fest backing: The Book Festival will make the move to its new home at the Edinburgh Futures Institute at Quartermile in August with longterm sponsor Baillie Gifford in place despite authors threatening a boycott. New festival director Jenny Niven said the event would have to be scaled down without the support of the investment fund which has been criticised by activists over the environmental cost of a small proportion of its investments.
GAS MARK: The gas holder at Granton has taken a step closer to its future role. New footage released by the City of Edinburgh Council shows the tank in the iconic gasholder frame has been infilled. The space within the restored gasholder is to have multi-sensory play zones, a dedicated area for permanent and temporary public art and one for relaxation, outdoor trails, and tracks for exercise as well as a large outdoor space for sports, markets, seasonal events, community use, festivals, performance arts, exhibitions, and play.
UNIQUE UNIQLO: One of the most eagerly awaited shop openings on Princes Street in recent years has been confirmed for later this month. Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo will open its first Scottish store there on April 25.
STREETS OF DALRY: Plans to create a 20-minute neighbourhood in Dalry by making it easier to access local schools and shops without a car, widening pavements and improving cycling provision have been formally announced. The city council has launched a consultation on the proposals which includes road closures and diversions to significantly cut through traffic.
PARTY IN THE (CAR) PARK: The award-winning Hidden Door festival is to stage its birthday party in the cavernous underground Basement 3 car park at the St James Quarter. The pop up arts festival will celebrate its tenth anniversary on May 10-11 with an immersive multi-art experience curated in partnership with synth-pop duo Maranta, a visual art exhibition and DJs and live music presented by record label Paradise Palms Records and radio station EHFM.
FIVE-STAR AWARD: The Usher Hall has received a five-star quality rating from VisitScotland, praising its hospitality, friendliness, service and efficiency as a leading concert hall and venue. This marks fourteen consecutive years of Usher Hall being awarded five-star status by Scotland’s national tourism organisation.
POWERING UP: The site of the former Cockenzie Power Station on the banks of the Forth is being prepared for redevelopment following its demolition in 2015. East Lothian Council bought the land to enable its use for economic development and preparatory work is due to be carried out with UK Government Leveling Up funding. A planning application for the ground works has been lodged with the local authority.
THE BUSINESS
Prime space demand fuels office rent rises
Developers opting to take forward hotel options rather than office accommodation has contributed to a continued lack of available Grade A office accommodation – helping to fuel a rise in prime office rent caused by constrained availability.
Property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield says potential prime office stock has left the market recently, Edinburgh One at 60 Morrison Street had been earmarked for 85,000 sq ft of prime Grade A offices but was instead recently purchased by McAleer & Rushe for hotel redevelopment.
That followed 2023 deals for existing office buildings at 28 St Andrew Square, by Dalata Group, and 9-10 St Andrew Square, by Tristan Capital Partners, with the intention of conversion to hotel use.
The prime office market saw take up of 209,000 sq ft in the first quarter of 2024, with the 103,000 sq ft at 1 Lochside View at Edinburgh Park accounting for almost half. Cushman & Wakefield said 24 St Andrew Square (48,000 sq ft) and 30 Semple Street (57,000 sq ft) as the only prime Grade A office schemes now onsite as supply remained constrained, and that shortage of stock alongside strong tenant demand has driven rising prime headline rents in the city.
SME CHALLENGE: Access to finance is increasingly difficult for SMEs in Edinburgh and elsewhere, according to new Chamber of Commerce data. With less than 1.5 per cent of Edinburgh’s companies employing more than 100 people, SMEs make up the vast majority of businesses trading in the city and employ around 40% of workers. Data from the British Chambers of Commerce Insights Unit showed that half of businesses surveyed felt finding finance had become more challenging over the past three years, with only 13% saying it had become easier. The chamber network has called for urgent action to help SMEs seeking finance, asking for measures to improve accessibility to finance, better awareness of alternative funding options, and greater competition in banking options.
SHOE-IN DEAL: Edinburgh’s Omni Centre has been acquired by global investment group Triple B. The leisure and entertainment complex at the top of Leith Walk attracts some 4m visitors a year to venues including Vue Cinema, Nuffield Health Club, Nando’s, Wetherspoons, The Glasshouse Hotel and the recently opened Edinburgh Street Food market. It was put up for sale for £65 million last year by US asset manager Nuveen. Triple B was founded by the multi-national Bata shoe company.
FUNDING US GROWTH: An Edinburgh biotechnology company whose patented tooth decay detection system was highlighted by the Inquirer last Autumn has raised £5 million in funding to help it take its product into the lucrative US market. The brilliant invention from Edinburgh that is helping deliver the Holy Grail of dentistry (edinburghinquirer.co.uk) Calcivis technology uses bioluminescence to highlight where preventive measures are required before decay becomes irreversible. The investment round was led by £4m from the Scottish National Investment Bank with £1m secured from IFS Maven Equity Finance, which is part of the Investment Fund for Scotland (IFS), delivered by the British Business Bank.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
WOMEN WHO SAVED THE WORLD CUP: Relive the wonderful and inspiring story of the Edinburgh women who saved the Rugby World Cup. The uplifting stage musical 90 Days by Kim Millar is at the Traverse on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Go and see it and then think about what you could do in 90 days.
PUNK POET: The original ‘people’s poet’ comes to the Queen’s Hall with a mixture of classic and new material as he marks half a century of performing with dry wit and unique observations of everyday life. You can catch John Cooper Clarke ‘Celebrating 50 Years in Showbiz’ on Friday and Saturday night. When Paul McCartney calls him “one of Britain’s most outstanding poets”, what more recommendation do you need?
PADDINGTON IN CONCERT: No, not a bear playing the violin, just a screening of the ever-popular family favourite film accompanied by the London Concert Orchestra. Paddington in Concert is at the Usher Hall on Friday at 3pm.
QUICK BITES
PHIL-ING UP AT ROSELEAF: The renowned Roseleaf bar and café in Sandport Street, Leith has enjoyed a boom in business since its starring role on the “Somebody Feed Phil” Netflix show streamed on March 1. The owners have thanked customers who’ve flocked to the venue since city celebrity chef Tony Singh took show host Phil Rosenthal to the Roseleaf.
TASTE OF SUCCESS: They rose in the east, but are now heading west. The team behind Edinburgh’s cult Ozen Street Food, which operates from the St James Quarter, is taking its fusion flavours to Glasgow. Established three years ago, the company has previously been nominated the UK's Best Bao Buns by the Bao Bun Society.