The City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) has granted Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd (WEL) outline planning permission for a hotel to be built on its Harbour Road C site on West Shore Road in Granton.
The regeneration agency, responsible for transforming Granton into a bustling new city quarter, had submitted an application for a 200-room hotel for the 2.62 acre site, as well as a restaurant, pub, convenience store and 42 flats.
Colin Hunter, Chief Executive of WEL, said: “I am delighted CEC has awarded WEL outline planning permission for this project. This site has vast potential and, now with the planning approval, we can market it to its fullest. This is a great site for a hotel and one we are confident will prove popular to developers.
“We also believe that with a hotel in this area we can help attract other business opportunities.”
There will be space for 228 cars, 120 of which are designated for the hotel, 47 for the flats and the remainder for the surrounding businesses.
The 42 two-bedroom flats will comprise of seven affordable units. These will form part of the wider Granton community, in which thousands of mixed sized and priced homes will be built.
WEL invited pupils from Broughton High School to consult on the project and investigate what locals, workers and potential visitors to the area would want to see in the three proposed commercial units surrounding the hotel.
The six teenagers found the community wanted an independent restaurant and bar, as well as a hairdresser and beauty salon and a sports facility. The research revealed that over 70% of those questioned would use the facilities.
Colin added: “To create a sustainable community in Granton it is vital to support a diverse range of long-term projects.
“This will be a very exciting development for the Granton regeneration vision. We are confident it is what the community wants and needs.
“We have looked at every aspect to ensure this site is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable and in-keeping with the look, feel and vision of the Waterfront development and are confident these plans for Harbour Road C could mark a new chapter in the regeneration project.”
The outline planning permission was granted on January 28, 2009.
