February 1 2024

Longstanding efforts to redevelop a corner plot in one of Edinburgh's most desirable addresses have resurfaced with a switch from private flats to a care home in response to an ageing population profile.

Northcare has chosen a 0.56-hectare site at the corner of St John's Road and Manse Road, launching a public consultation on its plans for a 60-bed unit designed by Unum.

Echoing the prior Michael Laird scheme the latest proposals include a dedicated dementia floor and secure landscaped grounds as well as a top-floor glazed amenity space with an outdoor terrace. Spread across six independent living wings the 'L' plan build is served by a double-height entrance lobby with services located in a partial lower ground floor.

In a consultation statement, Northcare wrote: "This proposed development seeks to build within the approved height, scale, and massing of the approved permission and therefore the key planning issue relates to the principle of the new proposed use.

"Scotland is currently in the midst of a care crisis with limited lifestyle choices for elderly residents requiring care services. The current stock of care homes and supported housing is not able to meet future care requirements within the City of Edinburgh."

The revised £15m scheme removes a row of townhouses to the south for additional privacy but retains ground floor commercial units along St John's Road.

A site start is estimated by the spring of 2025. 

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Philip on 1 Feb 2024 at 17:51 PM

Formulaic, dull and aggressive. All in one corner.
Great job.

#2 Posted by Karen Smith on 1 Feb 2024 at 18:45 PM

Absolutely no way is this plot suitable for a building which will require high volume, frequent vehiculsr access and many visitors including medical staff and care staff. There will never be enough room for outside recreational space and on the busiest most congested Road in Edinburgh. There will be no provision for visitors, deliveries, services and there will be no provision for families and visitors. This will not attract people to the dying high street. People in there will not all come from the area so what will happen to the 20min neighbourhood idea? This is the most absurd idea I have heard for this land use.

#3 Posted by Nicholas on 2 Feb 2024 at 09:53 AM

Ah yes, generic concrete and glass. Exactly what historic Corstorphine needs. When will people fight back against modernist architecture?

#4 Posted by Liz on 2 Feb 2024 at 10:43 AM

This wouldn't look out of place in London, but in Costorphine it's just all wrong.
An overbearing monstrosity.

#5 Posted by Steve Jobs on 2 Feb 2024 at 11:10 AM

Agree with the comments here, this looks bloated and Care Home use feels like an odd choice for such a site. MLA have done some nice work over the years but this just doesnt look right at all.

#6 Posted by Steve on 3 Feb 2024 at 18:12 PM

Nove building, I agree that it's maybe not a great place fro a care home. However would all of the negative comments like to add a positive comment on what 'should' go into thos space. Bearing in mind the desolate 70's shabby building that was there prior? This is at least an improvement on that.

#7 Posted by M Simpson on 3 Feb 2024 at 22:38 PM

I agree with the above comments that a care home will not revitalise Corstorphine. Modern flats in keeping with the adjoining building would bring a mixed age group and hopefully encourage retailers back to a sad high street badly in need of regeneration.

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