Wednesday July 8th 2026
Plans to create an access across open space for house on Dryden Avenue, Loanhead, have been approved.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Plans to create a driveway across open land on a residential street have been given the go ahead despite claims it could put children in danger.
The proposals for Dryden Avenue, Loanhead, will allow owners of a mid terraced house on the street to create a vehicle access over the pavement and strip of grass to the monoblock drive already created at the front of their home.
Loanhead and District Community Council objected telling planners the public grass areas in Dryden Avenue were for the “benefit and wellbeing of residents of Loanhead and in particular the residents of Dryden Avenue”
They argued that it was important to the physical and mental well being of the residents adding: “The grass verge and the larger grass area in Dryden Avenue offer areas which children use as access to their homes and areas in which they can safely “run about”.
“The loss of part of this grass area could raise safety issues especially for young children. This safety issue would be exacerbated if cars started to park on the vehicular access.
“Approval of this application would set a precedence for other residents to follow suit. This could result in the almost total loss of the grass area and would detract from the character of the area.”
Despite their concerns planners ruled the new access would not have a significant impact on the amenity on the street and pointed out there were drives on the other side of the street.
Granting permission they said: “It is acknowledged that the affected grassed area forms part of an area of public open space together with a larger area of open space to the southwest.
“It is the usual practice of the planning authority to protect such areas in terms of their contribution to the character and visual amenity of an area. However the affected grassed area is relatively limited in depth and parking in front of the verge reduces its contribution to the visual amenity of the area.
“The proposed formation of the vehicular access will not have a significant impact on the overall visual amenity of the area. It should be noted that each application is assessed on its own merits and that approval of this application should not be seen as automatically setting a precedent for other driveways in the street particularly over the larger area of open space.”
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