September 14 2021

Manbay Homes has returned with a fresh application to build a mixed residential and commercial development at Saughton Mains Gardens Edinburgh, following refusal of an earlier scheme.

A change of architect sees Patience + Highmore replace Format Design on the project, after planners criticised the uncoordinated nature of the previous bid which failed to take into account adjacent land and a failure to enhance the locality.

Now the client is back for a second attempt, replacing a rundown shopping parade and open ground with a mix of 31 build to rent (BTR) homes including three replacement retail units which takes cognisance of the potential for a larger build that takes account of a neighbouring disused pub.

The latest approach calls for the existing shopping centre to be replaced by a perimeter of flats, 'colony' blocks, houses and terraces with street-level retail units wrapping around each corner.

In a statement, the architects observed: "Materials used are brick with cladding at upper level combined with a more expressed metal clad roof to the flats / commercial units that address the corner and more public spaces. Materials change to render with small accents of brick and small sections of cladding with more domestic tiled roofs and dormers as the buildings become purely residential and are facing the existing housing to the north."

The suburban district is dominated by 1950s housing but suffers from an over provision of unused commercial buildings which have become eyesores. 

3 Comments

#1 Posted by modernish on 15 Sep 2021 at 12:08 PM

If, as stated above, "the suburban district...suffers from an over provision of unused commercial buildings which have become eyesores". Why does the submitted proposal contain three commercial units? If commercial is viable in the location it's more likely to flourish with a cheaper rent than a more expensive one. An unused commercial space is still an eyesore regardless if it's new or not.

#2 Posted by Craig Sanderson on 16 Sep 2021 at 12:35 PM

Good morning. Thanks for circulating this. I take it that if all 31 homes are to be BTR then there'll be no social housing.
Thanks.
Craig Sanderson, Edinburgh Poverty Commissioner and retired CEO, Link Group.

#3 Posted by John Glenday on 16 Sep 2021 at 13:21 PM

Hi Craig

The previous (refused) scheme was for 38 flats, nine being affordable (25%), managed by Dunedin Canmore.
https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=Q7AST7EWLZK00

Manbay make no distinction for the latest scheme, describing it as 31 'affordable' rental properties.

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