Almond ward
The council planning committee has approved designs for a ticket kiosk at the planned Edinburgh Airport stop for Edinburgh Trams, which still don't have an opening date.
The location of the platform was approved last year, but some councillors at the most recent planning meeting criticised the location and design of the tram stop canopy. Labour's Lesley Hinds said:
"When I come back into Edinburgh I am ashamed of the design and architectural merits of the airport compared to others throughout Europe.
"The first impression is important for people who have not been to Edinburgh before. They'll hopefully decide to go on the tram - but what will their first image of Edinburgh be? I'm not so sure that's fantastic. It looks more like a cowshed to me."
The Southside and Newington Conservative councillor Cameron Rose added:
"Some people are underwhelmed by this. It does look like an agricultural building. It's not for us at this stage to try and redesign the trams and move where it goes to."
Conservative city centre councillor Joanna Mowat said she thought the design was fine. She said:
"There's nothing wrong with functional. Sometimes not everything in life has to be an artistic statement. Also, the airport is likely to get bigger and closer to the tram stop. If we put this any closer it might hamper the development of the airport."
The SNP's Drumbrae and Gyle councillor Colin Keir said:
"It's a bus stop. My only comment is I was under the impression we were going to bring it down to the bus stances. It's just about as far away from the international arrivals part of the airport as you can get."
Responding to comments on the design, a spokesman for Edinburgh Trams said:
"When drawing up proposals for the airport tram stop the gateway status of the airport was taken into consideration and its design fully reflects this. The report itself notes that the proposal demonstrates a high quality of design and satisfies suitable protection for passengers against the elements."
What do you think of the tram stop as a visitor's impression of Edinburgh? Have your say in the comments box below.
Southside and Newington ward
As widely expected, Duddingston House Properties has filed its application for partial demolition and alterations, inside and out, at the former Odeon cinema on Clerk Street, also known as the New Victoria.
A petition with 4,000 signatures asking the council to do more to protect the listed building was delivered by the Southside Community Council in February.
See the planning documents here.
The council is yet to set a date to consider the demolition and revamp plans.
Meadows and Morningside ward
There is an application for a temporary clubhouse and education centre at the 12-hole Hermitage Golf Course off Braid Hills Road. The application, by the Hermitage Educational Company, is for the building to be granted permission for five years to provide what the firm says would be "certainty to future funders." More details can be found on the council planning portal.
City Centre ward
Standard Life had to apply in retrospect for the new two metre-long signs it erected on its Lothian Road office, after its initial application was deemed invalid. Details here.
Sun Studio Tanning has applied to open in a New Town shop at 15 Howe Street. See the application here.
Montagu Evans plans to convert offices at 7 Coates Crescent into a leisure/gym suite. Again, full details are not available on the planning portal but general details are at this link.
The Broughton Spurtle reports on Hertz Rental's application to install a roller shutter in "Hertz yellow" at its Picardy Place depot.
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