An item of "Breaking News". Will appear on the Breaking News page and the front page.
Starbucks look set to move in at 7 Shrub Place, occupying the vacant unit between Sainsbury’s and Ziggurat.
The news emerged as part of a planning application to make minor changes to the building’s frontage and install advertising there (Refs 16/00277/FUL; 16/00278/ADV).
DEMOCRACY DEMANDS BUCK STOPS WITH LOCAL COUNCILLORS, SAYS FORMER PLANNING CONVENER
Trevor Davies was a Labour councillor for the Broughton ward ward from 2001–2007, serving as Planning Convener from 2003–07. He was a trustee of Edinburgh World Heritage, and, since 2008, has been an Honorary Professor in Urban Studies at Glasgow University.
The February Spurtle is printed and batched and already beautifying parts of Broughton as you read this.
The bulk of the copies will start appearing tomorrow, with news and views on the last month’s events, and some crystal-ball-gazing for what’s coming up in these parts between now and June.
Winter struck home with a vengeance this morning on Annandale Street.
A routine parking manoeuvre proved more straightforward than usual due to slippery conditions on a sloping run-in.
The vehicle was pulled free and taken away shortly before noon.
Meanwhile, on Calton Hill, yesterday’s stormy blast was briefly replaced by blue sky and crystal-clear light.
'NOT UNATTRACTIVE' STRUCTURE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP
The appeal by developer Glovart Investments Ltd to the Scottish Government has been allowed (Ref. CAC-230-2001).
1–6 Canonmills will probably be demolished and redeveloped.
The decision has shocked and disappointed campaigners who fought to retain the popular, low-profile structure currently occupied by Earthy.
PLANS FOR LEITH AFFECT PARTS OF BROUGHTON
Council officials from the Planning department are consulting on draft guidance that will shape the layout and content of Leith Town Centre (LTC) for years to come.
Crucially for Spurtle readers, the definition of this area extends on both sides of Leith Walk from Pilrig Street up to Annandale Street, and then along 94–6 Brunswick Street/Elm Row to the junction with London Road.
It’s the Broughton part of LTC we focus on here.
BELLEVUE HOLE UNEARTHS INTERESTING OLD RELICS
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single street in possession of a good hole, must be in want of an interested observer … usually male, wearing a flat cap and unlikely to see 25 again any time soon.’
These are the exact words Jane Austen would have used had she been on West Annandale Street this morning, where a most interesting pit at the junction with Bellevue Gardens was exciting one of the Spurtle team in the rain.
Amost before the paint has dried on their new student accommodation at 7 Shrub Place, Ziggurat (Shrubhill) LLP have applied for planning permission to extend and reconfigure it (Ref. 16/00191/FUL).
The changes would add 38 student beds to the 260 already in place.
Developers have returned to the Council with additional plans for how they would shore up the slope behind 32–62 Broughton Road in order to make possible the building of 8 new townhouses in a narrow strip of land there (Ref. 15/02335/FUL).
NEW FILM SEASON STARTS ON FRIDAY 29 FEBRUARY
As reported last week, the New Town Community Cinema will run two strands of films – one for families in the afternoon and one for adults in the evening – on alternate Fridays in the Glasite Meeting House at 33 Barony Street.
Below, programmers Rory Bonass and James Mooney introduce their first two choices.
Belleville Rendez-Vous (2003), 80 mins, Certificate 12A