September 18 2020

A hybrid refurbishment and new build application has been filed by Midlothian Council to bring a mix of apartments and retail to Buccleugh Street, Dalkeith.

The twin-track approach will see an existing building renovated and extended to provide twin shop units with four flats above while a new build Passivhaus building on a rear pend will provide an additional six apartments.

Smith Scott Mullan Associates have been tasked with bringing this vision to life by utilising common materials to ground the interventions as one development, reinstating full double glazed units to each store and introducing period-style dormer windows. To the rear, a buff brick new building is proposed providing dual aspect flats positioned to minimise overshadowing and maintain privacy of neighbours.

In a design statement, the architects wrote: "The materials and colour palette has been carefully selected to create a dialogue between existing historical features and new build elements. This is achieved by maximising re-use of the stone from the existing building, using complementing colours and materials like zinc and brick.

"This allows a smooth and sympathetic interweaving of ‘new’ and ‘old’, where the valuable elements of the ‘old’ are celebrated while the ‘new’ maintains it’s modern quality."

An existing pend will be infilled and access rerouted to a common path alongside the historic building as part of this work. 

1 Comment

#1 Posted by Dulnain on 22 Sep 2020 at 17:56 PM

Nice development, hope it’s built as currently conceived.

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