Plans for a residential development in a part of Edinburgh earmarked for major regeneration have been struck down by the Scottish Government, after developers were accused of "jumping the gun".
Councillors were left furious last year after proposals came forward for over 200 flats at Seafield despite the wider vision for the area having not been set.
An appeal was swiftly lodged in a bid to overturn their refusal of planning permission in principle, however this has proved unsuccessful and the application has now been ripped up entirely.
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One city councillor welcomed news that the "cynical and premature" plans had been rejected for a second time.
Edinburgh Council's newest local development plan has identified the stretch of coastline as in need of redevelopment and in the coming years it is anticipated the area will be slowly transformed, with the existing industrial units and car dealerships replaced with a 20-minute neighbourhood overlooking the Firth of Forth.
The authority is continuing to work alongside the local community on a masterplan for Seafield which will set out what the regeneration will look like. A six-week public consultation gathering views ended earlier this month and it is expected plans will emerge later in the year.
However by looking to secure planning consent ahead of this developers Manse LLP were accused of trying to "undermine" this work.
Danny Aston, SNP councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston which includes Seafield, urged the Scottish Government to uphold the original decision to refuse, warning that granting permission would "open the door to the kind of piecemeal development that the local community, council officers and many of the other landowners and developers in the area have been working hard to avoid".
Government planning reporter Rob Huntley said: "In its present state, the appeal site and its surrounding does not exhibit features that would provide a high-quality residential environment or an appropriate level of residential amenity."
Mr Huntley added he was not convinced the plans would "enable a satisfactorily high standard of design to be ensured in the absence of the establishment of an overall framework to guide the redevelopment of the wider area between the seafront promenade and Seafield Road East".
Councillor Chas Booth, Green councillor for Leith, said: “I’m delighted this developer, who tried to ignore the wishes of the local community and pre-empt the Seafield masterplan process, has had their appeal rejected by the reporter.
"I hope they will take note of this decision, and start to engage in the masterplan process in good faith with local residents and other stakeholders.
"It’s absolutely essential that, if Seafield is to be developed in the future, it is done strategically, in cooperation with local communities and considering the need for infrastructure and community assets. That’s exactly what the masterplan process does.
"This cynical and premature application, which sought to circumvent that masterplan, should never have been submitted.”
