Leisure use proposed for industrial unit at 19 King’s Haugh

An industrial unit at 19 King’s Haugh could change from storage and industrial use to an assembly and leisure venue, under a new planning application lodged with the City of Edinburgh Council.

The site sits in the King’s Haugh area of Prestonfield Park Industrial Estate, near Peffermill in south-east Edinburgh. The proposal is a change of use rather than a new-build development, but it is still worth watching because it could alter how the unit is used day to day and bring more visitors to a part of the city normally associated with industrial, trade and storage activity.

What is proposed

The application seeks permission to change the existing use of 19 King’s Haugh from industrial/storage use to Class 11, which is the planning use class for assembly and leisure.

Class 11 can cover a range of leisure and gathering uses, including venues such as gyms, sports or recreation facilities, and other places where people assemble for leisure purposes. The application description does not name a specific operator or give a detailed public-facing brand for the proposed use.

In practical terms, the key change is from a unit used for industrial or storage purposes to one that could be visited by members, customers or participants, depending on the final occupier and operation.

Where it is

19 King’s Haugh is in the Prestonfield Park Industrial Estate area, around two miles south-east of Edinburgh city centre. King’s Haugh is part of the wider Peffermill business and industrial district, close to other warehouse, trade counter, light industrial and commercial premises.

The location is not a traditional high street or town centre leisure pitch. That makes the proposal notable: leisure uses in industrial estates can bring activity at different times of day from conventional storage or industrial operations, and they can change patterns of access, servicing and parking around neighbouring units.

Nearby streets and areas include Peffermill Road, Prestonfield and the wider south-east Edinburgh corridor linking towards Cameron Toll, Craigmillar and the University of Edinburgh’s Peffermill sports grounds.

Why it matters

Although this is not a major redevelopment, changes of use can be important for local estates.

Industrial areas are often planned around deliveries, servicing, staff parking and business-to-business activity. A Class 11 leisure use can be more public-facing. Depending on the eventual activity, it may involve visitors arriving for sessions, classes, events, training or recreational use.

For neighbours and nearby businesses, the points most likely to matter are:

• whether the proposed use increases customer or visitor trips to the estate;
• how people reach the unit by car, bike, public transport or on foot;
• whether parking and drop-off activity changes around King’s Haugh;
• how the leisure use fits beside existing industrial and storage occupiers;
• whether activity takes place at evenings or weekends as well as during standard business hours.

The planning application is therefore about more than a label on a unit. It is about whether a building in an industrial setting should move into a leisure use class and how that sits with the surrounding mix of premises.

The planning use class

In Scotland, Class 11 covers assembly and leisure uses. It is separate from ordinary shops, offices, food and drink premises, general industrial uses and storage or distribution uses.

A move into Class 11 can be suitable in some commercial areas, but councils usually consider the specific site context. Issues can include access, parking, noise, opening hours, neighbouring uses and whether the change would affect the supply or function of industrial premises in the area.

The application at 19 King’s Haugh is framed as a change of use from existing industrial/storage use to Class 11 assembly and leisure. No approval has been issued at this stage.

What happens next

The application was received on 17 April 2026 and validated on 14 May 2026. Its current status is listed as awaiting assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council.

Residents, nearby businesses and other interested parties can view the application on the council’s planning portal and check the submitted documents. The portal is also where public comments are normally made while an application is open for consultation.

The planning reference is 26/01628/FUL. The address is 19 King’s Haugh, Edinburgh EH16 5UY.