Conservation and Adaptation

Over the last few years many residents have come to me to discuss issues they have had getting planning permission to improve the insulation of their homes.

The majority of the issue has been for homes that are in a conservation area and the limitation on what can and cannot be done and the type of materials that can be used. With a cost of living crisis plus changes in our weather patterns and increasing issues with flooding, adapting buildings is becoming more of a pressing issue.

So at the end of last year I brought a motion to the Planning Committee asking for residents who live in listed buildings and or conservation areas to be consulted upon their experiences of trying to maintain, repair or adapt a property. This very useful information will then be used to inform the discussion of a short term working group who will consider;

• The challenges faced when trying to maintain or adapt homes in such areas;
• What can currently be done to help tackle these challenges;
• What needs to be addressed in the longer-term; and
• The cost to our built heritage from any changes we make

The consultation will run until the 11th June and to access it please click on the link below

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/conservation-adaptation2023/