The Rapleys PAN exhibition – scheduled to go ahead on Mon 23rd March – has now been postponed indefinitely, due to the current COVID crisis. A new exhibition will be required before the process can continue. Meanwhile residents can use the respite to build community networks around Pilmuir and Balerno – both in response to the virus and also in response to Green Belt development threats.
Glenbrook – glamping pods refused by Reporter
The DPEA Reporter has now rejected the developers appeal to build 6 glamping pods near to the steadings on Glenbrook Road. The proposal had already been rejected by CEC Planning Committee, and therefore the developer had gone to appeal. This means that the proposals can go no further – for the time being at least.
In his comments, the Reporter quite rightly referred to many of the points made by local residents. Local people have again proved that engaging with Reporters both in written form and personally ( – during his site visit) can be effective in restraining inappropriate, Green Belt, development.
New threat to Green Belt – action needed now
In another twist to the Glenbrook saga, the developer is now proposing to build 6 glamping pods on land immediately adjacent to the Bankhead steading in Glenbrook Road. As with his previous proposals to build 5 – and subsequently 53! – houses on Green Belt land, this represents another “foot in the door” threat to our Green Belt. Local people have until next Tuesday 11th June to comment on the proposals. It is worth noting that there no recorded objections YET on the planning portal…
Reporter refuses Glenbrook 53 house application
In a late Christmas present for local people, the Reporter has refused the application by Clarendon to build 53 houses on Green Belt land on the Glenbrook Road just outside of Balerno. His refusal seems to be based mainly on Green Belt and landscape considerations. Click here for full details: Glenbrook refusal 2018.12 . So far at least, the western (Glenbrook), southern (Cockburn Crescent) and eastern (Harlaw Gait) boundaries are proving to be defensible. Residents will be aware that the planning system is heavily weighted in favour of developers however. Community Right of Appeal (CRA) for applications that fall outside of the LDP would forestall this.
Glenbrook 5 house review / appeal – REFUSED
Residents may recall that this application was refused by CEC Planning in January of this year. Since then, the developer appealed the decision to CEC Planning Dept. This appeal has once again been refused by the CEC Planning Local Review Body (LRB). The refusal letter from LRB is attached here.
Many residents responded to the review notice with detailed and well argued letters of objection, and these seem to have been duly noted by CEC Planning.
Glenbrook – the Thin End of the Wedge for Balernos Green Belt
Developers Clarendon have recently submitted a minor proposal to build a preliminary 5 houses, on land adjacent to the proposed 60 house development that is already earmarked for Glenbrook Road (see previous post). It is not hard to see that this small scale proposal could pave the way for the main Glenbrook development to go ahead more smoothly. Add this to the fact that the local landowner (Simon Thomson) owns the Goodtrees land to the west of Cockburn Crescent, and that Clarendon were the agents behind the twice refused Cockburn Cres proposal for 150 houses to the south of Cockburn Crescent.
In the light of this, it may be wise for residents to comment on this seemingly minor proposal.
Download our Window Poster
Balerno Green Belt group has produced a poster which you can display in your window to show your support.
Please download and print it out if you support the Green Belt around Balerno.
Window poster 2015.07(PDF, 630 KB)
New Ravelrig proposals
Developers Rapleys have recently (29.10.19) submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to build a swathe of new houses downhill from the newly built Ravelrig estate. This looks likely to dwarf the new estate and points to as many as 600-700 houses.
Glenbrook – application submitted for 53 houses
Developers Clarendon, with local landowner Simon Thomson, have recently submitted a new application to build up to 53 houses by the junction of the Johnsburn / Glenbrook road – see previous posts for map. This application is for development on Green Belt land, and is not part of the recently published Local Development Plan.
The new deadline for comments is Friday 27th October – to submit comments, please read on…
Cockburn Cres – saved again!
The Reporters decision on the Appeal by developers Barratt David Wilson to develop the land south of Cockburn Cres has been announced today – and the answer is still a Refusal. This is the second appeal by the developers since the first one was lodged in March 2014. Residents might be wondering why a second appeal was allowed to be submitted so soon after the first had been so comprehensively rejected by the Reporter. Download decision here.
