A popular Edinburgh restaurant is locked in a long-running battle with Edinburgh Council after planning permission was denied for an outdoor seating area.
Hemingway’s, on Commercial Street, Leith, applied for an external decking area in May of last year. The council made the decision to reject the proposals in October.
The restaurant and cocktail bar has now launched an appeal for the proposed outside area to be reviewed by the council and have provided detailed plans alongside pictures of steel cladding that would be part of the structure. The review will go before a council meeting on Wednesday, February 22.
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Hemingway’s, like many venues in the city, had a temporary outside seating area during the coronavirus pandemic and are now looking to have a permanent structure at the side of their restaurant.
However, the restaurant received an enforcement notice in December 2021 to take down their provisional structure which led to an appeal application.
This led to the Scottish government dismissing the appeal in March 2022. The now new plans submitted by Hemingway’s was denied due to worries that the character and appearance of the Leith area would be impacted.
Alongside this the council also claimed that the proposed plans would have “a detrimental impact on the amenity of neighbouring residents.”
Members of the public have also had their say on the proposals with one person stating that an “unsightly pile of rubble and rubbish remains to this day.”
There has also been claims to call into questions the commitment by the restaurant for the look and heritage of the quayside and the assurances of better quality contained in the application narrative.
According to a report published by the council, the initial plans submitted by Hemingway’s were rejected as: “The proposal will unduly impact the character of the neighbourhood and will result in an unreasonable loss of public space.
“The proposal is not acceptable in principle and does not accord with the Local Development Plan. There are no material considerations which outweigh this conclusion.
“This determination does not carry with it any necessary consent or approval for the proposed development under other statutory enactments.”
Hemingway’s has been approached for a comment by Edinburgh Live.
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