NEWSFLASH!!   MORE TIME TO OBJECT!!   PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!

The Deadline for objecting to the India Buildings proposals has been extended to Friday 20 November (midnight, if emailed).

INSTRUCTIONS

Your objections can be POSTED, EMAILED or MADE ONLINE (on the Council’s Planning Portal).

SAMPLE LETTER OF OBJECTION (attached):

The same text in the sample letter can be used for emailing an objection or commenting online. Choose the grounds (linked to the relevant
policies) on which you wish to object and the order in which they appear; you do not have to object on all these grounds. Please rewrite
and add your own comments as you see fit but be sure to include the application reference and address, your address, the date and the statement ‘I object…’

Sample Letter of Objection

BY POST

Postal address (or by hand) is:
Head of Planning and Building Standards,
Services for Communities,
Waverley Court,
4 East Market Street,
Edinburgh, EH8 8BG

TO EMAIL AN OBJECTION:

Send to the planning officer emma.wilson@edinburgh.gov.uk

Be sure to copy your objection to councillors and others you know who
may also wish to object.

TO OBJECT (COMMENT) ONLINE:

Go to www.edinburgh.gov.uk/PlanningandDevelopmentOnline
In the search box put 15/04445/FUL
Click on the ‘Comments’ tab
Add your details and objection (be sure to tick ‘object’)
The same needs to be done for the associated applications 15/04555/CON &
15/04437/LBC
Note: keep a separate record of your objection.

The proposals for a 235-bedroom hotel building on the site to the rear of India Buildings, with a 7-storey building set right against the narrow Cowgate pavement, will be over- development of this site and in this location. (Contrary to policies DES 1, DES 3)

The new buildings will seriously impact on the B-listed Central Library on George IV Bridge by severely obstructing the light and the views within this valued and iconic building, as well as the views of it from the Cowgate and other vantage points. This will be detrimental to the Old Town Conservation Area and to the World Heritage Site. (Contrary to policies ENV 1, ENV 3, DES 1, DES 3)

The provisions for servicing this 235-bedroom hotel and for bus and taxi access for the large number of guests are very poor. There is likely to be a lot of extra traffic and congestion in Victoria Street and on the Cowgate, both already very congested. (Contrary to DES 3)

The plans to use the Cowgatehead church building as a licensed ‘venue’ where there is already noise and congestion, plus the likelihood of other licensed venues within the hotel complex on the Cowgate and in Victoria Street, breach the area’s designation as one of ‘overprovision’ of liquor licences. (Contrary to HOU 8, RET 12)

There will be loss of a 40-year-old sycamore on the Cowgate with no plans to replace it or to provide visible or accessible public green spaces within the development. (Contrary to policies ENV 6, DES 3)

Download the pdf below for more details on how to put in an object by October 30th.

India Buildings leaflet