Architecture + Design Scotland

Ocean Drive Residential Development, Edinburgh

18 October 2007

Extracted from a letter to City of Edinburgh Council, City Development Department

I refer to your letter dated 6 September 2007 seeking a consultation response on the above planning application. Following consideration of the designs at an internal design review session held on 9^th October, we provide the following comments.

The site lies within the Leith Docks Development Framework (LDDF). We are aware that previous applications have been consented for this site, and note that: "should new proposals come forward they will be subject to the principles set out in the document, for example in the provision of special active frontages to Ocean Drive" (LDDF, page 99). We therefore question the extent to which the submitted design addresses design principles set out in the LDDF, a document that has been approved as supplementary planning guidance.

We consider that the design represents over development, and suggest that this amount of residential accommodation cannot be satisfactorily accommodated on this site. We also have concerns about the number of single aspect north facing flats in the design. There appears to be insufficient amenity space relative to the number of units proposed, and we question whether the raised roof terrace over the car parking provides adequate and appropriate play space for family living.

We do not believe that the double height car park provides a ‘special active frontage to Ocean Drive', and are of the opinion that the design is not of an appropriate standard to announce the entry to the docks area. It fails to create high quality public spaces; the building will overshadow the public space to the north, and is likely to compromise the quality of the waterfront experience in this area.

We suggest that any design must be more respectful of adjacent buildings, better define public space, and have a better internal / external relationship at the ground level.

We note that the principles of the LDDF are to be implemented through a series of masterplans, and question whether this design is premature to the finalisation of a masterplan which we understand is currently under development for the area to the south east of Ocean terminal, formerly referred to as the ‘Waterfront Plaza'.

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