A GROUP of residents in Edinburgh's New Town have won a two-year

battle with Edinburgh District Council's planning committee.

The residents in Northumberland Street and Dundas Street took

exception to the construction of an aluminium flue on the outside back

wall of an A listed building occupied by the Royal Scots Club in

Abercromby Place. The flue was put up after the club was given planning

permission in November 1990 for change of use of the property from a

club to a hotel.

Mr Robert Peggie, the local government ombudsman, has found the

council guilty of maladministration because it failed to impose a

condition on the club to provide an internal ventilation system for the

kitchen.

He said that the external flue was not appropriate for the listed

building in a conservation area. The council's failure constituted

maladministration, which had caused injustice to the residents.

Mr Peggie said the council should apologise to people living in the

area and contribute #250 to their expenses incurred since early 1991.

He asked the council to explore ''all practical options for reducing

the adverse effects of the ventilation system'' and be prepared to bear

full costs.

Councillor Bob Cairns, convener, said the council's planning committee

would give close consideration to the ombudsman's conclusions.

Mr Alistair Anderson, chairman of the Northumberland Street Residents'

Association, said: ''We are very pleased with the decision.''

Mr Brian Adair, chairman of the trustees of the Royal Scots Club, said

the club had done what the planning authority had asked and had also

spent a great deal of money to meet complaints from neighbours.