Controversial proposals submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council to demolish buildings and erect student accommodation have been opposed by a local group - who claim the loss of businesses would 'completely change' the community.
The proposals would see a seven-storey building erected, housing 91 student rooms. The structure would see several flats and businesses on Jock's Lodge wiped out including a takeaway and the Willow pub. Another pub - Limelite - has been offered a ‘continuation’ which would see it contained within the new development.
Save Lock's Jodge, a local campaign group, has been formed to oppose the proposals. Sharing the plans, developer Alumno have claimed that the accommodation would allow art students to showcase their work there, as well as helping an expected influx of students in the coming years.
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A number of flats and a takeaway would also disappear. A petition against the proposals by Save Jock's Lodge is currently running and aims for 5,000 signatures, currently sitting with just under 3,600.
Shane Donnellan, 33, is part of the Save Jock’s Lodge campaign. He told Edinburgh Live: “Most of the businesses will disappear, apart from the pub Limelite. I think it will just totally change the character of the area. There’s a real sense of community around here.”
One of the pubs which would be demolished should the plans go ahead would be The Willow, which members of the campaign told us was a meeting place for many different groups in the area.
Shane said: “The Willow holds knitting clubs and other community groups, it’s kind of the epicentre of our community. It will totally change the character of these streets, as well as crowding out the neighbouring buildings with its seven storeys.”
Kirsty Pattison, 41, who is also part of the campaign added: “One pub will continue serving as part of the student building, but we’ll lose the takeaway - which is an award winning takeaway.
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“The building will hugely impact the area, just look at the size and the scale of it. It will dwarf the houses around here, it will dominate the area.
“The worry is, if we redevelop everything here there’s no understanding of what the impact will be. It’s going to hollow out what we have as a high street. It’s a massive hub for the local community hub which we are going to use.”
Aside from the impact of the building on the area, Save Jock’s Lodge have also highlighted the rise in student rooms that it will bring. The total number, should plans go ahead, would rise to 2055.
The campaign group say this will lead to overconcentration in the area, and also brought attention to the nearest university campus sitting 1.2 miles away.
David Campbell, founder of Alumno, said: “This exciting mixed-use scheme will serve to ease the acute housing pressures by providing greater options whilst addressing the increasing and well documented, student housing demand by providing modern, high quality and well managed accommodation.
“We have listened to the responses of the local community through our thorough consultation process and have reduced the height of the building to accommodate this feedback.
“Employment and investment will be generated both during construction and once complete, increasing footfall to local shops and also serving to provide a new sustainable food/drink outlet for the community, including outdoor space.”
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson declined to comment, adding: “It would not be appropriate to comment on a live planning application.”
An open meeting is to be held on February 5 at 2pm at the Willowbrae Church Hall. Additionally, a petition is currently online which can be found here.
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