Plans for Edinburgh holiday apartments at site of former New Town social club
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Plans to transform a former social club into new, serviced apartments have been met with a mixed response by Edinburgh New Town residents.
The application, submitted on behalf of Sovo Apartments, would see six serviced flats at 7 Baxter's Place and has been recommended for approval by city planning officers.
Some locals fear the new holiday stay apartments could bring disruption to their upmarket street - whereas other argue the plans could be helpful to the area.
Simon Davis, who lives on nearby Blenheim Place, was one of the eight residents to object to the plans. He believes that there isn't sufficient access to the building which would make it difficult for housekeeping and laundry services to service them.
He told Edinburgh Live: "The classic thing is, they need to be serviced. So how are they going to do that? Are they going to come in front? Are they going to come in the back?
"There are going to be turnovers on a regular basis. There's just going to be a whole heap of traffic coming in and out and noise. People are already having to park here to go around the corner or try and park in the back and so it's just not a suitable spot."
If approved, the building will include three one bed apartments, three two bed apartments and a dedicated reception area.
PJ Sanderson, who goes by Sandy, lives on Greenside End and feels that the new development could put pressure on the plumbing. He says he already experiences problems with this and worries it could become worse if the serviced flats went ahead because of the turnover of people in the building.
He said: "The problem that I have with that area is that the drainage isn't very good because what I call the new news house, but it must be 15 years old now, is built on top of where the drains come out of Baxter's Place.
"It's quite a lot if everyone's [going to the toilet] at the same time, you know."
While many have objected to the plans, other residents welcome them.
Marcello Mega lives in the flats next to the proposed holiday apartments. He feels more positive about the developer.
He said: "We've met him two or three times. He's come and kept us informed, he's showed me around and he's actually offered to show us around again.
"He's going to be running this high-end Airbnb, and he's got other businesses like that. So where [the last owner] had the maximum capacity of 61 people, he's going to have a maximum capacity of 21.
"He's turned a two bedroom into a one bedroom to have a 24 hour reception, so that there will always be somebody there so if there is a nuisance, we'll have somebody to go and speak to him or somebody who will answer the phone right away and be able to deal with it."
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He continued: "It's never been part of the housing stock, it's not like they have taken four flats or something that had previously been providing homes to people and decided to buy them up and turn them into a commercial venture. I would probably have opposed that, but it was a social club before and then it was holiday lets and now it's going to be holiday lets but run properly by a person who has integrity.
"He's spent a fortune, the flats have already been built up twice in the in the nearly nine years that we've been her, and he's ripped the flooring out and all that. He didn't like it, had it ripped out and he's put really expensive hardwood flooring in.
"He's taken up the wallpaper in the in the lobby and chucked it because he didn't like it And you know he's just intent on doing everything properly, and he's sort of really aware, he's done his research, he's really aware of what William Playfair did and what he expected the homes in the area to look like and his attention to detail is really impressive.
"So as I've told them, you know, we support him, we haven't opposed it on the council's portal, and we hope that he does really well, because I think he's had a good idea, he's invested in it properly and given that it's never been part of the housing stock before, I don't think that he's doing anything that is damaging the local community."
Sovo Apartments have assured locals that they are not your "traditional short-term let operation" and that they will have a much different client base than budget accommodation venues.
A spokesperson said: "We appreciate the opportunity to provide context regarding our Baxter's Place development and to address the community's concerns.
"Sovo Apartments operates exclusively in the luxury short-term accommodation sector, catering to discerning guests seeking premium experiences. We are not a traditional short-term let operation.
"Our properties feature bespoke curated design, luxury amenities including spa baths, and personalised guest services that attract a completely different clientele than budget accommodations. Our commitment to excellence has been recognized industry-wide - our Alva Street property was recently a finalist for 'Best Apartment in Scotland' at the prestigious Herald Property Awards, demonstrating our dedication to maintaining the highest standards in Scottish hospitality."
They went on to highlight steps that they will be taking to ensure that there is no disruption to their neighbours, such as limited occupancy in their apartments, a 24 hour manned reception, professional management systems, professional contractors who have protocols to keep disruption to a minimum during turnover periods, a streamlined check in and check out process for guests, and a focus on guest communication with clear expectations for them to respect the neighbourhood.
They added: "We recognize the neighbour's hesitancy given past experiences with the previous illegal hostel operation. However, Sovo Apartments represents a fundamental shift toward responsible, luxury hospitality. Our business model depends on maintaining excellent relationships with the local community, as our reputation and guest satisfaction are directly linked to the neighbourhood's character.
"We welcome ongoing dialogue with residents and remain committed to being exemplary neighbours while contributing positively to Edinburgh's tourism economy through our luxury offering."
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