Both our Agency and Planning team worked together on this project to achieve the letting of Unit 4 East Telferton, Edinburgh, EH7 6XD.
Our Agency team marketed the vacant space and looked to secure a new tenant on a leasehold basis.
Whereas, our Planning team looked to obtain planning permission for a Change of Use to allow the property to be used as a climbing gym, for an identified tenant and allow the lease to be concluded.
Why G+S
Graham + Sibbald is one of the UK’s leading property consultancy services. Our success is built upon how we deliver our service; it is a unique combination of being both professional and personable.
Our experienced Agency team provides a comprehensive range of services covering all aspects of the disposal of commercial property. We work in all key sectors, including office, retail and industrial property, hotels and leisure and student accommodation.
Our Planning team takes a pro-active approach and has a highly successful track record of securing planning permission. We work on a mix of commercial and residential planning projects throughout Scotland and England, providing a full range of planning services (including appeals) for both private and public sector clients.
Approach
Our Agency team had to make sure that all appropriate marketing mediums were used when bringing this property to the market. This included visibility and size of signage, marketing literature to emphasise strategic location relative to Edinburgh City Centre and the main transport links shown through aerial photography. The team also pushed the opportunity on social media and strategically targeted occupiers who had lease events due in the near future. It was key for the team to be pro-active and respond timeously to requests for further information and viewings.
The planning department led on the application, with the agency department providing data on the marketing history of the unit and the wider industrial market in Edinburgh to demonstrate there had been little interest in the unit previously, and there was little chance of it re-entering use as a warehouse of industrial unit.
Services Provided
The information provided by the Agency department was used in the Planning Statement to supplement the argument for the Change of Use. The Planning Statement set out the argument that business and industrial zones are safeguarded to protect economic activity and employment generating uses, and that although not a traditional business or industrial use, the unit still contributed towards these aims by providing jobs and returning activity to this long-term vacant unit. A review of other large indoor leisure units in Edinburgh was also undertaken to demonstrate that there was a precedent for these to be sited on industrial estates or in large warehouse units.
Added Value
The in-house planning department added value to the landlord as it allowed the incoming tenant to have a locally-based consultant on hand to assist with the consenting process.
The planning application was helped by access to agency information specific to the unit and the wider industrial market in Edinburgh to help make the demand argument.
The planning department were able to advise on a lobbying strategy.
Key Challenges
There were challenges for our Agency team and Planning Team. The Agency team found the (sqft) ratio between the buildings office and industrial content restricted the number of occupiers which the building appealed to.
Whereas the Planning team found the property was located in a Business and Industrial area, according to the Local Development Plan. Therefore, a case had to be made that this type of unit was the only suitable location for such a use, the use of the unit would not negatively impact on either surrounding businesses or the overall supply of industrial land in Edinburgh, and that there was limited interest or demand in this unit being used for business/industrial purposes.
Results
Planning consent achieved in March 2023 allowing lease terms to be agreed.
Key Statistics
- 17,000 sqft leased on competitive market aligned terms
- 24 employment positions created
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