Bakery and short-term lets proposed for 15 Blair Street in Edinburgh Old Town

A ground-floor bakery could open at 15 Blair Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town under a new listed-building application now before the City of Edinburgh Council.

The proposal would also alter the lower levels of the building for short-term let accommodation, with a new entrance formed from Stephenlaw’s Close. The site sits just off the Cowgate and close to the Royal Mile, in one of the city centre’s busiest visitor and nightlife areas.

What is proposed

The application seeks listed building consent for internal and external alterations at 15 Blair Street, EH1 1QR.

The main changes are:

• bakery accommodation on the ground floor;
• short-term lets on the lower ground and basement levels;
• a new access from Stephenlaw’s Close;
• associated internal and external alterations to the listed building.

The application is for listed building consent, which focuses on works affecting the character and fabric of a listed property. It does not itself confirm a future operator for the bakery or the number of short-term let units.

Where the site is

15 Blair Street is in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, between the Cowgate and South Bridge area, close to a dense cluster of pubs, restaurants, hotels, shops and visitor accommodation.

Blair Street is a short street but an important city-centre route, linking the Cowgate area with the Old Town’s wider network of lanes and closes. Stephenlaw’s Close runs nearby, and the proposed new access from the close is one of the more significant public-facing elements of the scheme.

The property has been described in property marketing material as a traditional six-storey stone-built tenement. In planning terms, the key issue is that the building is listed, meaning alterations are assessed against their impact on its special architectural or historic interest.

Why it matters

This is a relatively small application compared with major redevelopment schemes, but it touches several live issues in central Edinburgh: food and drink uses, visitor accommodation, listed buildings and the use of closes and back-lane access.

A bakery at street level would continue Blair Street’s active commercial character. In a busy part of the Old Town, ground-floor uses are important because they shape the experience of residents, workers and visitors at pavement level. A shop bakery would also add another food-led use in an area already known for hospitality and tourism.

The proposed short-term lets on the lower ground and basement levels may attract attention because holiday accommodation remains a sensitive topic in the Old Town. The area has a high concentration of visitor accommodation, alongside long-established homes and late-night venues. Any physical alterations connected with the use, including entrance arrangements and servicing, are likely to matter to neighbours and nearby businesses.

The new access from Stephenlaw’s Close is also notable. Edinburgh’s closes are part of the Old Town’s historic urban grain, and even modest changes to doors, routes and external fabric can affect how these spaces look and function. For nearby residents and businesses, the practical questions are likely to be about where people enter and leave, how the lower floors are reached, and how any new external works fit into the close.

The listed-building angle

Because 15 Blair Street is a listed building, the council will consider how the proposed works affect the building’s historic character. Listed building consent is commonly required for changes that might alter important internal layouts, historic fabric, shopfronts, doors, windows, access points or external appearance.

That does not mean change is ruled out. Edinburgh’s Old Town contains many listed buildings that have been adapted over time for shops, restaurants, offices, homes and visitor accommodation. The planning question is whether the proposed alterations preserve the building’s special interest and whether the design is appropriate for its setting.

For this application, the headline works are both internal and external. The external element, including the new access from Stephenlaw’s Close, is likely to be the part most visible to the public.

What neighbours may want to check

Residents, neighbouring businesses and community groups may want to review the application drawings on the council portal, particularly where they show the ground-floor bakery layout, the lower-level accommodation and the proposed Stephenlaw’s Close access.

Useful points to look for include:

• how the new entrance would appear from Stephenlaw’s Close;
• whether any doors, signage, vents or other external features are proposed;
• how the bakery would relate to Blair Street at ground level;
• the internal arrangement of the lower ground and basement floors;
• any changes to historic fabric within the listed building.

Comments on planning and listed-building applications normally carry most weight when they focus on planning matters such as design, heritage impact, amenity, access, noise, servicing and the effect on the surrounding area.

What happens next

The application was registered on 30 April 2026 and is currently awaiting assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council. A site notice was posted on 15 May 2026, with comments due by 5 June 2026.

The planning reference is 26/01858/LBC. The application can be found on the City of Edinburgh Council planning portal by searching for the reference number or the address, 15 Blair Street Edinburgh EH1 1QR.