Plans for a brand new slots venue in Edinburgh’s West Finish have been halted after the Metropolis of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Native Overview Physique upheld the refusal of planning permission. The proposal, submitted by Merkur On line casino, sought to show the previous Carpet Ceremony showroom at 181 Morrison Road right into a 24-hour slots parlour. The retail unit has been vacant for over a 12 months.
Council officers had already really helpful rejecting the plan, and through a gathering on Wednesday, August 13, members of the Planning Native Overview Physique agreed to dismiss Merkur’s attraction.
Hours Decreased in Attraction, However Issues Remained
Merkur, which already operates two Edinburgh areas on Nicolson Road and Leith Stroll, argued in its attraction that it might settle for diminished opening hours—working from 8am till midnight slightly than round the clock—to deal with neighborhood issues. Its different Edinburgh venues at present run on a 24-hour foundation.
Regardless of this concession, councillors concluded the proposed venue would nonetheless trigger disruption to the encompassing space.
In line with Edinburgh Information, SNP councillor David Key famous: “Many of the objections are primarily based across the hours of opening, that are 24 hours a day. So now that candidates have modified the hours of opening – they’ve lower the legs off numerous objectors. So does this make the method slightly unfair on the residents, native residents that we’d approve one thing that they haven’t been consulted on?”
Inexperienced councillor and committee convener Alys Mumford responded that objectors would have been knowledgeable when the revised hours had been submitted as a part of the attraction. In whole, 54 objections had been lodged by residents and neighborhood teams.
Location and Amenity Points Highlighted by Councillors
For some councillors, the issues prolonged nicely past working hours. Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat argued: “Councillor Key mentioned the objections are about hours. I don’t assume the objections are about hours, I feel the objections are very, very clear concerning the impression on residential amenity. And anybody who is aware of Morrison Road nicely is aware of how that avenue adjustments as you stroll up it. The sample of use adjustments from Haymarket going up, the place it’s busier on the Haymarket finish, this bit is a way more residential finish. It is a fully inappropriate place for the sort of exercise, if you already know the realm nicely. The retailers and eating places are a lot smaller, far more native, far more neighbourhood, and having one thing that may act as a pull is totally inappropriate for the realm.”
Labour councillor Tim Pogson expressed hesitation in absolutely dismissing the idea of the venue, acknowledging that “it clearly serves a function for some.” Nonetheless, his principal concern centered on the proximity of residential properties and the potential for noise, even with claims that solely background music could be performed. “I can’t consider something worse than making an attempt to sleep whereas there was this muted background music coming from the premises down under,” he mentioned. Whereas the proposed shorter hours eased his issues barely, he in the end supported the committee’s resolution.
Mumford added: “The applicant has proven a willingness to speak about opening instances. However I feel, as the purpose made by Councillor Key, is that it has not been examined with residents. I agree with Councillor Mowat that the primary objections are concerning the appropriateness of this constructing on this setting, slightly than only a late night time.”
With the bulk in settlement, the committee voted to reject the attraction. Liberal Democrat councillor Hal Osler was unable to take part within the last resolution resulting from an web connection failure throughout the vote.
