Angry Edinburgh residents have hit out after the Scottish Government gave the green light for a new takeaway in Juniper Green.
It is understood that Edinburgh City Council had rejected the planning proposal three times but that a Scottish Government reporter overruled the decision.
Aonghas McIntosh, the chair of Juniper Green and Baberton Mains community council, along with Sue Webber, MSP for the Lothians and Pentland Hills councillor, have spoken of their “disbelief and shock” at the decision.
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The local community say that they have pointed out that there is already adequate takeaway provision in the area and that the proposed facility at 50a Lanark Road is not warranted at the old RBS site.
Aonghas said: “For years we have successfully campaigned against a proposal to build a takeaway alongside the old RBS Branch on Lanark Road. But yet in its wisdom the government has decided to overturn the decisions of the council who had refused the plans three times. They are ignoring the will of the local community.
“It makes you wonder what the point is of local communities engaging in the planning process when a developer can simply appeal and escalate until they finally get the outcome they want.
“We welcome new enterprise into the local area but with seven different outlets for hot food within 200 yards of the site and 15 pizza takeaways within three miles, it's not clear what this would add apart from more traffic problems in a village already suffering from rat runners and congestion.
“There isn’t sufficient parking to meet the needs of the village just now, let alone those of the delivery drivers or those delivering supplies to the shop.
“We’ve had the support of our local councillors throughout this long drawn out process and it's not really clear what else we could have done. You do hope that good sense and logic will prevail but unfortunately that’s not been the case this time.
“There is probably a joke to be made about this new takeaway having an undertaker next door to it, but unfortunately this decision is no laughing matter.”
Sue Webber has said that she shares the community’s concerns that this takeaway would also increase congestion and potentially increase safety risks in the area for pedestrians. And that this part of Juniper Green also forms part of a conservation area.
She says it is a perfect example of why Scottish Conservative plans to enshrine in law that no local planning decisions can be overturned by the Scottish Government must be introduced urgently.
Sue said: “I have been proud to stand with the community in Juniper Green against these proposals three times now. They have raised extremely valid concerns over safety and congestion as well as pointing out that the area is already well saturated with takeaways.
“I would have thought there were far bigger planning decisions for government reporters to be casting their eyes over. Instead, they have rode roughshod over local democracy once again.
“That is why Scottish Conservative plans to enshrine in law that no local planning decisions can be overturned by the central government must be supported immediately.”
The Scottish Government and Edinburgh City Council have been contacted for comment.
