The full resubmission for planning application can be found here
In order to submit any comments you may wish to make, please send them by e-mail to david.shepherd@edinburgh.gov.uk
or by post to:
David Shepherd
Business Centre G2
Planning
City of Edinburgh Council
Waverley Court
4 East Market Street
EDINBURGH
EH8 8BG
The closing date for comments is Friday, 16 April, 2010.
Monday 22 March 2010
Friday 19 March 2010
Meeting of the Flower Colonies Residents' Association
You are invited to St Michael’s Church Hall, Slateford Road
The Agenda for the meeting is:
(1) A report on the state of the application by AMA to build on the site of the old biscuit factory at 1 Slateford Road (between Primrose, Laurel and Violet Terraces and Harrison Road/Slateford tenements).
(2) The state of the Community Contra-Plan, our proposal for a development in keeping with our beautiful historic area, as an alternative to the AMA plan.
(3) A report on the Residents’ Association website, which is now up and running at www.flowercolonies.org.uk, with a blog at flowercolonies.blogspot.com.
(4) A financial report of the Residents’ Association.
(5) A discussion of possible fundraising ideas for the Residents’ Association, such as street parties, barbecues and so on.
(6) Election of Committee Members for 2010-2011. Notably, Gurå Bergkvist (our chairwoman) and Mary Weir (secretary) are stepping down and we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to put themselves forward!
(7) The main body of the meeting should last about one hour. After this, we shall retire to the Caley Sample Room for a celebratory pint and to toast the success of the RA in the next year!
We hope to see you there!
The Committee, the Flower Colonies Area Residents’ Association.
Thursday 18 March 2010
AMA has resubmitted plans for the site. It's time to act again!
AMA have just submitted the new drawings for the site. Ross says they are much better drawings but no major changes to the overall scheme. Duncan, Ross and Shaeron met yesterday to start on a Contra Plan. They will meet again next week to continue.
- The next Merchiston Community Council meeting will take place on Tuesday March 23rd, 7 pm at Polworth Church church hall. We will bring it up there and give an overview of what we as community have done so far to develop our own contra plan for the site.
- The Flower Colonies Resident Association AGM will take place on Tuesday March 30th (7:30 pm, St Michaels Church Hall). The resubmission of plans and what we can and will do will play an important role. Fliers about the meeting are printed as we speak and will be distributed soon. Also watch this space for further updates.
- We will need to be very effective in the community objections to the new AMA / Oberlander drawings. Ross, Duncan and Shaeron will draft a list of points that will be understood and accepted by the planners as "material" objections which should be a great help for drafting our individual objection letters.
The "new" plan
The text below each of the drawings is the text on the drawings. Click on the pictures to see an enlarged version.
Primrose Terrace
The development strategy proposes the removal of the existing industrial buildings along the Eastern side of Primrose Terrace. A new street frontage is proposed, taking its height and massing from the existing tenement adjacent, connecting Slateford Road to Harrison Place, Park and Gardens.
In removing the existing industrial warehousing, the distance between buildings on either side of the new street will be doubled, enhancing amenity, bringing in more daylight and opening distant vistas. The new tree line avenue will provide a generous, broad promenade on its eastern side. Visitor parking will be absorbed, discretely nestling between trees.
The elevational treatment will provide a repetitive, modest and calm background to this enhanced green streetscape. The gentle rhythm of window and masonry, solid and void will be drawn from a simple and elegant proportion of window and masonry panel with dappled shadow from afternoon and evening sunlight filtering through the trees to animate and enliven a deliberately restrained facade. The street frontage of four storey masonry, will horizontal banding, presents a contemporary interpretation of the existing tenement form. Height and proportion are borrowed from the neighbouring context. The existing tenement ridgeline is continued (following the existing consent previously granted) and echoes the traditional juxtaposition of tenement and Colony as per Merchiston Grove to the west. The inhabited timber clad roofspace at the top most storey, with glazed projecting bays, animates the roofscape and ridgeline and echoes dormers and bays on the streetside opposite.
The southern tip of Primrose Terrace will flourish into a modest landscaped public realm, with entrance to the semi private courtyard and connection onwards to the Railway Walkway, Harrison Place and Harrison Park beyond.
Primrose Terrace
The development strategy proposes the removal of the existing industrial buildings along the Eastern side of Primrose Terrace. A new street frontage is proposed, taking its height and massing from the existing tenement adjacent, connecting Slateford Road to Harrison Place, Park and Gardens.
In removing the existing industrial warehousing, the distance between buildings on either side of the new street will be doubled, enhancing amenity, bringing in more daylight and opening distant vistas. The new tree line avenue will provide a generous, broad promenade on its eastern side. Visitor parking will be absorbed, discretely nestling between trees.
The elevational treatment will provide a repetitive, modest and calm background to this enhanced green streetscape. The gentle rhythm of window and masonry, solid and void will be drawn from a simple and elegant proportion of window and masonry panel with dappled shadow from afternoon and evening sunlight filtering through the trees to animate and enliven a deliberately restrained facade. The street frontage of four storey masonry, will horizontal banding, presents a contemporary interpretation of the existing tenement form. Height and proportion are borrowed from the neighbouring context. The existing tenement ridgeline is continued (following the existing consent previously granted) and echoes the traditional juxtaposition of tenement and Colony as per Merchiston Grove to the west. The inhabited timber clad roofspace at the top most storey, with glazed projecting bays, animates the roofscape and ridgeline and echoes dormers and bays on the streetside opposite.
The southern tip of Primrose Terrace will flourish into a modest landscaped public realm, with entrance to the semi private courtyard and connection onwards to the Railway Walkway, Harrison Place and Harrison Park beyond.
No 1 Slateford Road
The overall strategy proposes to infill and complete the existing and truncated tenement block (No1 to No37) fronting Slateford Road. No1 Slateford Road occupies the easternmost tenement plot turning the corner from Slateford Road into Violet Terrace. Its unique situations addresses both the frontality of the Street with northerly views across the cemetery, together with easterly views towards St Michael's Parish Church and onwards to the heart of the City. The eastern gable presents a particularly prominent focal point within the wider city context as a visual marker on the westerly departure from the City Centre. On a local scale, the eastern gable had the potential to reciprocate and relate with the prominent tower of St Michael's Parish Church.
The current site condition visually presents an unintended "internal" party wall with a covering of external render to better weather its temporary exposure. The proposed building will initially take its form and massing directly from this existing gable, broadening and rising slightly in response to the turning of the corner and address the consequent elevational "frontality" appropriates for such a visible gable.
The site strategy proposed a mixed use building echoing the existing adjacent tenement topology of residential apartments above ground floor retail and trade uses. The ground floor will primarly contain a commercial unit with potentially three frontages - to Slateford Road, to Violet Terace and to the rear courtyard. Retaining an element of commercial usage with the development site has been requested by CEC Planning and this proposal provides a footprint of the the required size ideally located to contribute to and benefit from an animated streetscape, visible and accessible to all.
The shared entrance to the 7 residential apartments above is located on the Slateford Road frontage. In massing, the commercial unit acts as a podium which consequently serves as a south facing roof terrace to the apartment above. The first floor gable apartment is elevated to read as 'gap' between the podium and the 3 storey corner of apartments above. Windows in these apartments are displaced to articulate the corner and inter rotation of building frontage from norht to east as the elevation rises and rotates from street frontage to city frontage.
The fourth floor elevation utilises a broader horizontal opening along the full breadth of the eastern gable to emphasise the visual connection with the distant city and to infer an inhabited and occupied roofspace. Vertical inset timber cladding unifies the range of windows and counterpoints the horizontal opening.
The south facing rear courtyard elevation relates to the adjacent tenement gable and is punctuated with discrete and inset terracing to embrace the southerly aspect. The massing gradually descends through the terraces to the first floor terraces, stretching out towards the sourthern and evening sun.
Cycle Track Building
The southern edge of the development site fronts the redundant railway line, now reconfigured as a broad recreational walk and cycle path.
The development proposes a flank of residential accommodation in a bold linear form running parallel to this tree lined walkway. A string of residential apartments will be accessed from a series of communal terraces to the north with individual and private living spaces to the south. The elevation to the southerly, public frontage will fully consist of inhabited terraces and balconies, green pockets of dwelling adjacent the existing green and linear natural habitat. Terraces and balconies serve a fixed and regular backdrop to the ever changing treescape and seasons, with a palette of glass and filigree timber panelling, full of activity, animation and habitation. Beneath the balconies and terraces, all ground floor apartments have private gardens fronting the railway edge.
The western end of the access terraces sees the corner stair rising externally between the gable of adjacent Primrose Terrace building. The stair and terraces protrude beyond building elevation above and into the residential building, gently animating the public realm. Screened from the public realm only by a transparent 'garden' gate, intriguing vistas are afforded through the private vertical circulation space and into the courtyard area beyond.
The public space at the foot of Primrose Terraces brings together potential connections north, south, east and west. The space between serves both as public interface and entrance court to the residential apartments and courtyard, ensuring that the space is appropriated and overlooked at all times. Modest in scale, located and oriented to benefit from any available sun, the space will provide a calm community and residential focal point.
Cycle Track elevation - Courtyard Building
The northerly elevation consists, in part, a series of communal, dynamic linear terraces affording access to all levels of apartments, drawing movement and life around and within the courtyard. A palette of balustrading and timber cladding counterpoints the mover masonary elevations.
The eastern gable has a simple repetive form and elevational articulation echoing the rear elevation of Primrose Terrace, presenting a palette, fenestration and massing that is cohesive throughout the rear courtyard environment. Proposed massing steps back, away from Harrison Road, with broad and generous roof terraces fronting the elevated road and railway bridge.
The overall strategy proposes to infill and complete the existing and truncated tenement block (No1 to No37) fronting Slateford Road. No1 Slateford Road occupies the easternmost tenement plot turning the corner from Slateford Road into Violet Terrace. Its unique situations addresses both the frontality of the Street with northerly views across the cemetery, together with easterly views towards St Michael's Parish Church and onwards to the heart of the City. The eastern gable presents a particularly prominent focal point within the wider city context as a visual marker on the westerly departure from the City Centre. On a local scale, the eastern gable had the potential to reciprocate and relate with the prominent tower of St Michael's Parish Church.
The current site condition visually presents an unintended "internal" party wall with a covering of external render to better weather its temporary exposure. The proposed building will initially take its form and massing directly from this existing gable, broadening and rising slightly in response to the turning of the corner and address the consequent elevational "frontality" appropriates for such a visible gable.
The site strategy proposed a mixed use building echoing the existing adjacent tenement topology of residential apartments above ground floor retail and trade uses. The ground floor will primarly contain a commercial unit with potentially three frontages - to Slateford Road, to Violet Terace and to the rear courtyard. Retaining an element of commercial usage with the development site has been requested by CEC Planning and this proposal provides a footprint of the the required size ideally located to contribute to and benefit from an animated streetscape, visible and accessible to all.
The shared entrance to the 7 residential apartments above is located on the Slateford Road frontage. In massing, the commercial unit acts as a podium which consequently serves as a south facing roof terrace to the apartment above. The first floor gable apartment is elevated to read as 'gap' between the podium and the 3 storey corner of apartments above. Windows in these apartments are displaced to articulate the corner and inter rotation of building frontage from norht to east as the elevation rises and rotates from street frontage to city frontage.
The fourth floor elevation utilises a broader horizontal opening along the full breadth of the eastern gable to emphasise the visual connection with the distant city and to infer an inhabited and occupied roofspace. Vertical inset timber cladding unifies the range of windows and counterpoints the horizontal opening.
The south facing rear courtyard elevation relates to the adjacent tenement gable and is punctuated with discrete and inset terracing to embrace the southerly aspect. The massing gradually descends through the terraces to the first floor terraces, stretching out towards the sourthern and evening sun.
Cycle Track Building
The southern edge of the development site fronts the redundant railway line, now reconfigured as a broad recreational walk and cycle path.
The development proposes a flank of residential accommodation in a bold linear form running parallel to this tree lined walkway. A string of residential apartments will be accessed from a series of communal terraces to the north with individual and private living spaces to the south. The elevation to the southerly, public frontage will fully consist of inhabited terraces and balconies, green pockets of dwelling adjacent the existing green and linear natural habitat. Terraces and balconies serve a fixed and regular backdrop to the ever changing treescape and seasons, with a palette of glass and filigree timber panelling, full of activity, animation and habitation. Beneath the balconies and terraces, all ground floor apartments have private gardens fronting the railway edge.
The western end of the access terraces sees the corner stair rising externally between the gable of adjacent Primrose Terrace building. The stair and terraces protrude beyond building elevation above and into the residential building, gently animating the public realm. Screened from the public realm only by a transparent 'garden' gate, intriguing vistas are afforded through the private vertical circulation space and into the courtyard area beyond.
The public space at the foot of Primrose Terraces brings together potential connections north, south, east and west. The space between serves both as public interface and entrance court to the residential apartments and courtyard, ensuring that the space is appropriated and overlooked at all times. Modest in scale, located and oriented to benefit from any available sun, the space will provide a calm community and residential focal point.
Cycle Track elevation - Courtyard Building
The northerly elevation consists, in part, a series of communal, dynamic linear terraces affording access to all levels of apartments, drawing movement and life around and within the courtyard. A palette of balustrading and timber cladding counterpoints the mover masonary elevations.
The eastern gable has a simple repetive form and elevational articulation echoing the rear elevation of Primrose Terrace, presenting a palette, fenestration and massing that is cohesive throughout the rear courtyard environment. Proposed massing steps back, away from Harrison Road, with broad and generous roof terraces fronting the elevated road and railway bridge.
Tuesday 9 March 2010
JUMP event
There will be a JUMP Meeting in The Lighthouse, Granton on Thursday 11th March from 7pm - 8.30pm. The JUMP AGM will take place on Thursday 8th April from 7pm - 8.30pm.
We would very much welcome support and election of new committee members who have found JUMP to have been beneficial in some way.
The Lighthouse
20-22 West Harbour Road
Edinburgh
EH5 1PN
20-22 West Harbour Road
Edinburgh
EH5 1PN
Latest update about the meeting with the developer
Dear All
Today's meeting with AMA, Duncan Whatmore, Ross McEwan and myself went pretty well. In fact it was perhaps better than we may have hoped for.
Mr Afshar is now fully aware of the intention we have to propose a contra-plan for the site. He has also said that he is happy for us to come back to him with the new proposals. This does not mean he will run with them but he is open to listening to what the outcomes are and why. It was also made clear by Mr Afshar that he had a very interested party to rent the development site for ten years. Regarding his own scheme for the site, he was a meeting with planners this Thursday and would be submitting the revised proposals for the Oberlander scheme after that.
So it is up to us as the design team to get something started. Ross, Duncan and myself hope to meet sometime next week. We also hope to engage the support of The City Design Leader, Riccardo Marini and the planning officer David Shephard and other suitable candidates from the statutory bodies, particularly Historic Scotland, to take part in a design workshop as soon as possible.
Shaeron
Monday 8 March 2010
Contra-plan design meeting
The contra-plan design meeting took place on the 4th of March. About 25 participants came to St Michaels church hall to discuss their vision for the development. The evening started with Duncan Whatmore giving an update about what he, Ross and Shaeron did with all the post-it notes from the Gallery of Ideas.
Something that the previous meeting showed clearly that although there is some consensus especially about what we don't want to see on the site there are also widely differing opinions. The slide on the photo summarises what was said about student accommodation on the side. Everything from "Students, yes please" to "Students, no thank you" could be found. "Don't give them balconies" just about sums it up!
Next Kate and Nick introduced the format of the evening revealing that each table was to discuss a specific subject working with the pictures to start with.
The idea was that every table had to rate the pictures provided from 0 (I absolutely hate this) to 10 (This is what I love). This started a flurry of activity and sometimes heated discussion not least because of differences in personal taste but also because the same picture might contain a good element as well as something really hideous.
Next Kate and Nick introduced the format of the evening revealing that each table was to discuss a specific subject working with the pictures to start with.
The idea was that every table had to rate the pictures provided from 0 (I absolutely hate this) to 10 (This is what I love). This started a flurry of activity and sometimes heated discussion not least because of differences in personal taste but also because the same picture might contain a good element as well as something really hideous.
At the next stage, each table worked on a different theme using the pictures, scribbling on the plans, challenging the preconceptions of others on the tables and deriving at compromises. The subjects discussed at the different tables were "Buildings", "Movements", "Uses and Activity" and "Open Space"
How could access to the site work for pedestrians, cyclists and cars?
What kind of buildings should go where on the site?
What about uses and activities?
How can open space be used to link the new site to the existing colonies?
What kind of buildings should go where on the site?
What about uses and activities?
How can open space be used to link the new site to the existing colonies?
The very lively evening was wrapped up by 5 minute presentations at each of the tables.
Tuesday 2 March 2010
Questions to think about for the meeting
Please bring along any images of ideas that you think represents what you would like to see on the site.
Questions to think about:
1. BUILDINGS
o Where could new buildings go?
o What scale and height should the new buildings be?
o If taller than the Colonies, please show where this would be
o What materials should be considered?
2. MOVEMENT
o How should vehicles get in and out of the site?
o How should people (pedestrians and cyclists) get in and out?
o Where could residents and visitors park?
o Do you have any ideas about alternatives such as car sharing?
3. USES AND ACTIVITY
o What sort of housing would you like to see?
o How would students best be accomodated?
o What other things could happen on the site?
o Do you think there could be anything other than housing on the site?
4. OPEN SPACE
o Where could open space be provided in the development?
o How could open space connect to other open areas?
o What sort of planting or landscaping could there be?
o How do you think the scheme could be sustainable or eco-friendly?
Questions to think about:
1. BUILDINGS
o Where could new buildings go?
o What scale and height should the new buildings be?
o If taller than the Colonies, please show where this would be
o What materials should be considered?
2. MOVEMENT
o How should vehicles get in and out of the site?
o How should people (pedestrians and cyclists) get in and out?
o Where could residents and visitors park?
o Do you have any ideas about alternatives such as car sharing?
3. USES AND ACTIVITY
o What sort of housing would you like to see?
o How would students best be accomodated?
o What other things could happen on the site?
o Do you think there could be anything other than housing on the site?
4. OPEN SPACE
o Where could open space be provided in the development?
o How could open space connect to other open areas?
o What sort of planting or landscaping could there be?
o How do you think the scheme could be sustainable or eco-friendly?
Next public meeting Thursday 4/3/2010
You are invited to St Michael’s Church Hall, Slateford Road on Thursday 4th March 2010 at 7.30pm for a design meeting for the community contra-plan for the site of the old biscuit factory.
In this 2-hour meeting we will build on comments given by all the participants at our successful ideas session on 12th January. If you weren't able to make it, see www.flowercolonies.org.uk for more about this fun, interactive meeting - we want to keep up the positive energy and take it another stage further with your help on 4th March.
Your comments have helped our experts, architect Duncan Whatmore, urban designer Ross McEwan and public artist Shaeron Averbuch to draw up guidelines that will help us create a real plan for the future. We shall be looking at images, sketching on scaled drawings and talking or writing creatively to firm up a community-led alternative plan for the factory site and part of the railway path behind.
If you plan to come, you may want to bring along any images of buildings or open spaces that you have seen. This will help us to define four conceptual plans that consider the following independently:
1) buildings 2) movement 3) uses and activities and 4) open space.
For each of these areas, there are a small number of questions that may give you some ideas as to what will be expected. They are available on the website under the contra-plan section. Any thoughts in advance will help to make this meeting really productive.
We are also interested in any off-the-wall ideas and temporary uses of the space while its future is decided.
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