‘There are areas that are more suitable for this kind of thing, and Tollcross isn’t one of them’
‘It’s not good for the community, and it’s extremely short sighted'(Image: Edinburgh Live)
Edinburgh residents have slammed plans for a new aparthotel as they claim the ‘last thing they need is more tourists’. Developers have submitted an application to Edinburgh Council for a building at 27 Home Street, as they hope to launch serviced apartments in Tollcross.
The controversial plans were submitted by QB Wood Architects, who had a previous application for an 11 bed aparthotel at 27 Home Street rejected after objections. When refusing the previous application in February, Edinburgh Council said the use of a property for 11 short term lets would have a ‘materially detrimental effect on the living conditions of nearby residents’.
Edinburgh Live spoke to residents in Tollcross, have slammed the new application as ‘no different, and pointless’. They’ve claimed the plans show a ‘clear shift away from prioritising residents’, and feel that if approved the aparthotel could ‘damage the community feel of Tollcross.
Richard Allen, who has lived on Lauriston Gardens for 30 years, told Edinburgh Live: “We’ve got a huge number of hotels, B&B’s, short term lets in the area. There’s all kinds of loopholes and ways for them to get around things.
“In Tollcross, there’s so many of the main doors with those key boxes. My main concern is that these properties could have families and people who need a place in them, but they’re going to tourists.
“Tollcross is a great little community, and considering we’re right in the middle of the capital – we’ve got loads of facilities, The Meadows, Canal, transport is excellent. You can see why someone would want to set up short term lets or student housing here.
“This new aparthotel is a very clever idea for the developer. However, it’s not good for the community, and it’s extremely short sighted. I think this problem has been building for a long time, probably over 20 years, but it’s one of those things you don’t notice till it’s there.
“Tollcross is becoming less of a good community neighbourhood and more of a tourist spot. The big problem is the development of student housing, which has gone rampant. They can throw up tiny little rooms and charge an absolute fortune, and the residents don’t pay council tax so it doesn’t even benefit the city. It just leaves you asking why it’s allowed?”
‘Tollcross is becoming less of a good community neighbourhood and more of a tourist spot'(Image: Google Maps)
Elsewhere in the area, 26-year-old Jack told us he has recently bought a flat in the area and feels it ‘isn’t suitable for this kind of thing. He told us: “I rented down the road for about four years, and I’ve just bought this flat a year ago.
“One of the difficulties of buying is the expense, so when I saw that there were plans to turn viable residential properties that could be used to house families into an aparthotel for tourists, it seemed like a misjudgement.
“I’m in support of tackling the housing crisis and homing families in Scotland, and I’m against turning homes into a money making scheme. This new proposal seems like its just a redress of the one that was rejected. If the council stick to their word, it should hopefully be rejected again. I’m a surveyor, I work in the real estate market, so I’m very aware of the need for a certain amount of tourist accommodation.
“I think Edinburgh is already very well equipped, and I don’t think we need anymore. We don’t have a tourist crisis, we have a housing crisis. I worry it’s just another opportunity to try and make money, in a situation that’s already bad. There are areas that are more suitable for this kind of thing, and Tollcross isn’t one of them.”
Paul Beswick, who is on the Tollcross Community Council, told us: “This application appears to be no different to the one which was refused and so seems rather pointless.
“It’s clear that this application is simply the same ploy to overcome the clear planning decisions about not using the premises for short term letting. One of the causes of the housing crisis is the number of STLs in the city and particularly in the central area.
“It’s clear that the balance has been shifting away from residents. Simply looking at the number of key boxes on stair doors in Tollcross and surrounding areas shows this. If this application was approved, it would be a signal to investors to acquire all the flats in a stair and convert the stair to an aparthotel.
“This would have serious implications for housing supply, the price of house purchases and rents.”
QB Wood Architects have been approached for comment.
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