November 5 2021

Wiszniewski Thomson Architects have advanced revised proposals for an infill home sandwiched between two tenement gables at 6 Bangholm Terrace within the Inverleith Conservation Area of Edinburgh.

The former bleaching green has been left to become overgrown, presenting an opportunity for a local business owner to deliver a one-bedroom home on the site, which enjoys open aspects across Heriot's Rugby Club.

Current proposals call for a 6x5.5m home set back from the tenement gables above the height of the parapet of an existing garage with new walls offset from adjacent facades to deliver a clear break between new and old.

In a statement, the architects wrote: "The central element has been simplified to appear calmer and more composed adjacent to the articulated and repeating bays of the adjacent tenement blocks. The dark grey glazed door and window features of the new building are grouped together to echo the width of the tenement bays.

"The triple sliding window element is a response to the triple windows to each traditional bay. The grouped element of doors and windows is set into masonry element of sandstone, carefully chosen and to compliment the tone and colour of the adjacent tenements."

Reclaimed stone will be used to construct a rear boundary wall framing a small courtyard garden off an adjacent study with offset larch boards employed to provide privacy.

Detailing the rear approach the architects add: "A pop-out bay at the upper floor has a side facing window which at night will allow light to be shed onto the adjacent rear wall. No windows will overlook the back green but the larch screen and pop out bay are intended as softening gestures that will provide a sense of occupation and domesticity, important to the character of tenement back greens."

A planted roof will be seeded with local flora with an inset balcony to the front serving as an extension to the open plan living room, opening up views of the city to the south.

9 Comments

#1 Posted by The Bairn on 5 Nov 2021 at 14:57 PM

Crikey, show some ambition man!!
The additional cost to provide another 2/3 storeys would allow this scheme to pay for itself in no time - this Toytown build is pathetic.
The way it normally works with the Planning Officer is you design 6 floors, he asks for 2 max and then your Client settles on 4 after appeal.
Even in a Conservation Area outstanding architecture has merit and its up to the profession to show some mettle.

#2 Posted by Randall Sloan on 5 Nov 2021 at 17:05 PM

Agree with #1, what a totally wasted opportunity to create a contemporary tenement: tall and slender, could have been very elegant. Instead we get another generic shoe box !

#3 Posted by Bobness on 5 Nov 2021 at 17:54 PM

Completely agree with #1 and #2, this shouldn't get planning permission, it should be 4 stories.

#4 Posted by Glasgow Bob on 5 Nov 2021 at 21:28 PM

'bleaching green' ....so who stole this land from the people?

#5 Posted by alibi on 6 Nov 2021 at 20:29 PM

minded to agree with #1, #2 and #3 in principle, but it looks like windows on the gables may be the constraint. and/ or site ownership - the site boundary doesn't extend very far back. not to mention parking.

#6 Posted by Nairns Bairn on 7 Nov 2021 at 11:30 AM

#5 absolutely - it's unusual for developers to be lacking in ambition, so lack of amenity space, overlooking issues to private space behind etc may be restricting things. The area required for a separate stairwell accessing upper flats, plus common wheelie bin storage could occupy so much plan area as to render it unworkable.

Replacing a garage with something equally compact would be fine with planners I would have thought.

#7 Posted by mick on 8 Nov 2021 at 16:06 PM

As it is evident from their website, that the architects have previously exercised architectural aspiration, it is unfortunate to be so blatantly absent in this example.

#8 Posted by Bang Home on 10 Nov 2021 at 16:08 PM

Imagine if readers clicked those links to understand just how compromised the site is.

#9 Posted by Dave on 23 Nov 2021 at 10:07 AM

The submitted drawings show why the height is what it is (45 degree sightlines). More worrying is the floor plan - its tiny!

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