Three eco-friendly flats proposed for former toilet block at 61 Buckstone Terrace

A disused public toilet block on Buckstone Terrace could make way for three new flats under a planning application now with the City of Edinburgh Council.

The proposal is for 61 Buckstone Terrace, in the Buckstone area of south Edinburgh. It would demolish the redundant toilet building and replace it with a small residential development described as three eco-friendly flats, with associated access and landscaping.

Although modest in scale, the application is worth watching because it would change a public-facing site from a former civic use into housing. It is also an example of the kind of small infill scheme increasingly seen across Edinburgh, where underused buildings and leftover plots are brought forward for residential development.

What is proposed

The application seeks full planning permission for the demolition of the redundant public toilet block at 61 Buckstone Terrace and the construction of three flats.

The scheme includes:

• demolition of the existing public toilet block;
• construction of three eco-friendly flats;
• new or altered access arrangements;
• landscaping around the building; and
• a sedum roof, adding a planted roof surface to the development.

The application description frames the flats as “eco friendly”, and the sedum roof is one of the visible sustainability features identified for the scheme. Sedum roofs are often used to soften the appearance of a building, help manage rainwater and add some habitat value, though the planning assessment will consider the proposal against the relevant local policies and site context.

No planning decision has been issued. The case is currently listed as awaiting assessment.

The site on Buckstone Terrace

The address is 61 Buckstone Terrace, Edinburgh, at a public-facing location within the Buckstone neighbourhood.

The existing building is described as a redundant public toilet block. That matters because the proposal is not simply a private garden development or a change to an existing home. It involves the removal of a former public asset and its replacement with new housing.

For neighbours, the main points of interest are likely to be the scale and appearance of the new building, how access would work, the relationship with nearby homes and streets, and how the new landscaping would change the look of the site.

For the wider area, the application raises familiar Edinburgh planning questions: how small vacant or underused sites should be reused, whether new homes can be fitted into established neighbourhoods without harming local character, and how much weight should be given to reusing public-facing land for housing.

Why it matters

Three flats would not be a major housing scheme in citywide terms. But small developments can still have a noticeable local impact, particularly when they sit on prominent corners, former service sites or land that residents have long associated with public use.

The proposal is notable for four reasons.

First, it would remove a redundant public toilet block. Former public conveniences can be difficult buildings to bring back into use, and councils and landowners often face pressure to find new purposes for them once they are no longer needed for their original function.

Second, it would introduce new homes on a compact site. Edinburgh’s housing pressure means even small residential schemes attract attention, especially where they involve infill development in established suburbs.

Third, the application includes landscape works and a sedum roof rather than a straightforward hard-surfaced redevelopment. Those elements may be important in how the building is seen from the street and how the site handles its edge conditions.

Fourth, access is part of the proposal. Access arrangements can be a key issue for neighbours on smaller residential streets, particularly where a new residential use replaces a building that may have had a different pattern of activity.

What planners will look at

The council’s assessment will consider whether the proposed demolition and new flats are acceptable for the site and surrounding area.

In practical terms, the planning issues are likely to include design, scale, materials, residential amenity, access, landscaping and how the building would sit within Buckstone Terrace. The loss of the redundant toilet block and the change to residential use will also form part of the overall planning balance.

Because the application is for full planning permission, the drawings and supporting documents on the council portal are the key place to check the proposed layout, appearance and relationship with neighbouring properties.

What happens next

The application has been validated by the City of Edinburgh Council and is awaiting assessment. A decision has not yet been made.

Residents and interested parties can find the case on the council’s planning portal by searching for 61 Buckstone Terrace or the reference number 26/02374/FUL. The portal page holds the application summary and documents, including the drawings available for public inspection.

Planning reference: 26/02374/FUL.