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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Steven Brown

Edinburgh locals divided over new hotel heading for car park of historic pub

Plans have been submitted to City of Edinburgh Council for a brand new hotel in the Morningside area behind the Canny Man's pub.

The Kerr family who owns the Canny Man's pub and Lane Hotel on Cannan Lane have lodged the plans which were made public on February 13.

Proposals confirm that it would be a four-storey, 12-bedroom hotel with two short-term lets in the car park behind the well-known pub.

READ MORE - Edinburgh's 'dangerous and dated' shopping centre that time forgot

We travelled to the neighbourhood and spoke to local residents about what they thought about the proposed hotel. Morningside residents for 45 years, Ross Nicol, 68, is a retired building surveyor and agrees with the plans. He said: “I have not seen the plans, but I have no objection to it. It’s development in the area and I think that is a good thing.”

Nursery nurse, Erin Macintosh, 20, has lived in area for 2 years and has mixed views on the projected plans. “It would be good for local businesses, especially coffee shops as they frequently close down in this area. However, I don’t think we have the infrastructure for the traffic that Morningside generates.”

Cannan Lane resident, Keith Findlater has lived on the street for 3 years and objects to the proposals, he explained: “I would say it is far too high to be keeping with the area as it is a conservation area. The fact is there is a school here as well and I am worried about the traffic that it would generate, illegal parking is something else I am worried about.”

Erin Macintosh has mixed views on the proposals (Steven Brown)

Keith went onto say: “I don’t think the plans look aesthetically pleasing either.” Morag Nicol, 53, nurse has lived in the area for 20 years, she said: “I think it’s a good idea if it brings more people into Morningside, it keeps the village atmosphere and stops people going out of town for entertainment.”

She went onto say “I think it might make the area more of a destination for people going out, they might come here instead of going out.”

In a design statement submitted via the city council planning portal, the applicant writes: "The proposal is to construct a new building to provide an additional 14 rooms. It was not considered possible, practical or viable to extend any of the existing properties.

Morag Nicol believes it would be good for the area (Steven Brown)

"The location for a proposed new building is the pub car park that sits between the pub, its beer garden and the Lane Hotel. It is an under used facility as most of the pub customers avoid travelling to the Canny Man’s by car.

"Similarly many of the hotel guests who might share the facility, travel to the city without a car. This space is therefore sacrificial in relation to current use and deemed the best location to consider a new building."

Edinburgh Live approached Canny Man's fo comment.

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