Edinburgh Colonies Character Appraisals

The Planning Committee on 6 December 2012 approved the designation as conservation areas of a number of Colony developments. These included the Shaw's Place (Pilrig) Colonies Conservation Area, the Rosebank Colonies Conservation Area, the Stockbridge Colonies Conservation Area, the Hawthornbank (North Fort Street) Colonies Conservation Area, the Abbeyhill Colonies Conservation Area, the Dalry Colonies Conservation Area, the Lochend (Restalrig Park) Colonies Conservation Area, and the Slateford (Flowers) Colonies Conservation Area.  This followed a consultation with local communities.

The formal designation will be effective from the 15 March 2013, when public notices appear in the Scotsman.

The designation of the Stockbridge and Rosebank Colonies Conservation Areas results in minor boundary changes to the Inverleith and West End Conservation Areas.

Leith Links (Industrial Road) Colonies

The Committee on 28 February 2013 recommended that the Leith Links (Industrial Road) Colony group should not be taken forward for conservation area designation. This was based on the fact that the Leith Links (Industrial Road) Colonies had been the subject of a more recent intervention of red brick terraced houses in one of the blocks, had a significant number of non-original doors and windows, and were not built by the Edinburgh Co-operative Building Company.

Conservation Area Status

The following extra controls in conservation areas are intended to protect the character of the areas:

1. The permitted development right which allows any improvement or alteration to the external appearance of a flatted dwelling that is not an enlargement is removed.

2. Special attention must be paid to the character and appearance of the conservation area when planning controls are being exercised.  Most applications for planning permission for alterations will, therefore, be advertised for public comment and any views expressed must be taken into account when making a decision on the application.

3. Within conservation areas the demolition of unlisted buildings requires conservation area consent.  

4. Alterations to windows are controlled in terms of the Council's policy.  

5. Trees within conservation areas are covered by the Town and Country Planning (Scotland ) Act 1997. The Act applies to the uprooting, felling or lopping of trees having a diameter exceeding 75mm at a point 1.5m above ground level, and concerns the lopping of trees as much as removal. The planning authority must be given six week's notice of the intention to uproot, fell or lop trees.  Failure to give notice renders the person liable to the same penalties as for contravention of a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).