Category: Pennywell

City Centre at heart of heart of capital recovery plans

Muirhouse Community Hub and Granton gasholder put forward for Levelling Up funding

As Edinburgh’s economy faces the biggest challenge for more than a generation, the City of Edinburgh Council looks to forge a strong and sustainable recovery for Scotland’s Capital.

The Council has brought together key partners, stakeholders and business leaders to review the Edinburgh Economic Strategy to develop a refreshed approach that focuses on the city’s strengths, continued investment and collaboration, while responding to new pressures arising from both the pandemic and Brexit, and the long-term challenges identified in the 2018 Edinburgh Economy Strategy.

Agreed at yesterday’s Policy & Sustainability committee the report outlines key priorities, while also highlighting the importance of the city centre to Edinburgh’s long-term economic success – as a magnet for visitors, cultural activity, investment and innovation.

As part of the initial work that’s been done so far with key partners a series of actions have been proposed that the Council and other city stakeholder need to undertake to support the delivery of a strong economic recovery for Edinburgh.

These actions fall under five priorities which are:

  1. helping businesses to manage, adapt and innovate
  2. promote access to fair work and opportunities for progression
  3. lead a just transition to a net carbon zero economy
  4. create vibrant places for businesses and people; and
  5. maintain Edinburgh’s place as a global economy.

Focusing on specific actions needed to revive the economy of the city’s historic centre, The City Centre Recovery Plan has been developed as an accompaniment to the refresh of the city-wide Edinburgh Economy Strategy.

This plan proposes two core priorities for the Council and its partners over the next few years:

  • ‘support the city centre to adapt and thrive’ by taking action to provide high impact support to businesses of all sectors, as well as tailored, targeted support to businesses in areas or in sectors under specific pressure.
  • ‘build momentum for long term recovery’ by delivering strong programmes of promotion and marketing the city centre, as well as taking the steps needed to help people safely return to work in the area. Meanwhile look to enhance and repurpose the city centre to make sure it meets the post-pandemic needs of residents, businesses and visitors.

This will be underpinned by some of the largest and most significant retail, commercial, and tourism developments seen in any UK city centre.

It is hoped that these major investments will provide a catalyst for recovery of Edinburgh’s city centre, creating new job opportunities and building momentum needed to drive up footfall and turnover to the benefit of all businesses in the area.

These include:

  • the £1billion St James Quarter development opening this month;
  • Diageo’s investment in whisky tourism culminating in Johnnie Walker Princes Street opening later this summer;
  • a £40 million repair of North Bridge;
  •  the National Galleries of Scotland £22 million refurbishment project;
  • new uses on the way for key buildings such as the former BHS, Debenham’s shops, and the iconic Jenner’s department store
  • and in the west end of the city, the Edinburgh’s Haymarket project delivering a £350m development transforming the long-neglected brownfield site.

The new frameworks proposed for both the Economic Strategy and the City Centre Recovery Plan will now go through a consultation period with our citizen’s and partners from this month. Following this the final documents will be published in November this year.

Both reports will also look to deliver on the Council’s broader approach to recovery from the pandemic and meet its core priorities to end poverty, become a net zero city, and ensure wellbeing and equalities are enhanced for all.

Welcoming the update on the new frameworks, Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “Recent indicators like city centre footfall and investments bringing opportunities for people in the Capital show Edinburgh in a strong position for a successful recovery.

“Oxford Economics suggested that Edinburgh is the most resilient economy in Scotland, driven by our digital connectivity and the diversity of our economy. But the challenges for businesses of Covid-19 and Brexit can’t be underestimated.

“By channelling our strengths, we can overcome the challenges and continue to make our City a greener and fairer place to live, work and do business.  Key growth sectors like data-driven innovation and strong sectors like technology, finance and business tourism are all collectively working together as a city to build a bright future for Edinburgh with opportunities for all our residents.

“I’d like to thank our partners and stakeholders for their support and insights in getting our next Economic Strategy to this stage. Through this next phase of wider engagement with the City we will have a robust plan of actions to support businesses, protect and create jobs and continue to make progress.

Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said: “A strong recovery for Edinburgh’s economy as a whole requires a strong and vibrant city centre and by developing The City Centre Recovery Plan, in tandem with the refreshed Economic Strategy, we’re making sure that this vital area of our city continues to thrive.

“In parallel with the development of the priorities we’ve set out, we have also committed to delivering many innovative and regenerative schemes across the city that are at the heart of our communities.

“We agreed on six key projects to be put forward for UK Government Levelling Up Funding including the Granton Waterfront, the North Edinburgh Art’s MacMillan Hub in Pennywell, Wester Hailes and other key priority programme for the city. I’m hopeful that we’ll be successful in our bids for this funding and look forward to seeing these projects benefiting our citizens in future years.”

Funding regeneration

Alongside this, as part of the city’s wider ambitions for the economy, the need to help fund and deliver key regeneration and infrastructure projects was also on the agenda at Thursday’s Policy & Sustainability Committee. 

Six projects were agreed and will now be put forward for the 2021/22 funding round of the new UK Levelling Up Fund.

The Levelling Up Fund was announced by UK Government at the 2020 Spending Review as a £4.8bn package of funding to provide capital investment in local infrastructure projects over four years, from 2021-22 to 2024-25.

All Scottish Local Authorities will receive a flat amount of £125,000 in capacity funding to support bid development. This funding is expected to be made available in late June 2021.

The six projects are:

  • North Edinburgh Arts – a proposed new creative and community hub at MacMillan Square in Pennywell;
  • Granton Gas Holder – restoring the gas holder structure and remediating the wider site, forming a key catalyst to delivering phase one of the wider waterfront regeneration programme;
  • Wester Hailes Regeneration – a comprehensive, phased regeneration plan for the next 10 to 15 years and will incorporate the aspirations as set out by the community in the Local Place Plan;
  • Inch Park Regeneration – a proposed project for the development of a sports and community hub in Inch Park;
  • Craigmillar Town Centre Regenerations – a regeneration plan for the area to complete years of housing led investment to deliver wide ranging community led improvements;
  • City-wide active travel – building on the vision and objectives set out in the City Mobility Plan, the active travel investment programme will deliver on of the UK’s most ambitious safe, attractive and coherent walking, cycling and wheeling networks.

Building international partnerships

Taking an international perspective and continuing to build relationships across the globe to attract investment and strategic links will be an important part in growing Edinburgh’s economy.

How Edinburgh maximises its global connections and partnerships was set out in an updated Edinburgh International Framework, developed in collaboration with members of the Edinburgh International Group.

Refreshed in response to changing context and challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, as well as new developments in city wide priorities, the approach ensures international activity promotes the Capital’s equality and diversity objectives.

As part of the new framework, Councillors also agreed that the Council will support the University of Edinburgh in joining the World Innovative Cities Co-operation Organisation to develop civic links and support innovative collaborations with partner cities.

Plans submitted for MacMillan Hub

Richard Murphy Architects have submitted plans for the MacMillan Hub, the new civic centre for Pennywell & Muirhouse.

The development will see the creation of a Nursery & early years centre, forest kindergarten unit, library & skills hub, 6 homes for social rent, plus extension & reconfiguration of existing North Edinburgh Arts Centre, providing café/bar, box office, theatre & 14 studio spaces.

Richard Murphy Architects explain: “This project has two clients and four distinct user groups.  North Edinburgh Arts, a charity operating from a purpose designed building containing cafe, studios theatre etc. and a large early learning centre for nursery school age children, a branch library and eight apartments. These last three elements have the City of Edinburgh Council as client.

“The overall project has seized on the idea of synergy between the library, early learning centre and the arts building so that users of each are encouraged to use all of the facilities with the thresholds between each section deliberately blurred. Indeed, there is a common entrance and foyer facing onto the recently created Macmillan Square.

“The arts centre is to be reorganised so that the cafe sits at the front and becomes a social hub for the entire building. A diagonal sightline connects it to the garden and all of the ground floor with new and existing studios etc. More offices are provided on the upper floor.

“The library is a single double height space with books at the lower level and a skills base above. It shares a staff room with the early learning centre and offices with the arts centre. Large double height windows facing on to the square give views to the left of the arts centre and to the right of the library. The cafe is expected to colonise the entrance area outside in summer.

“The early learning centre consists of six classrooms and a baby’s centre on two floors. The building is organised around a circular cloistered courtyard to give as much space as possible to arrivals and departures. Multipurpose spaces are available to both the early learning centre and the community in the evening.

“Eight apartments on the second and third floors mark the corner between Muirhouse Crescent and Macmillan Square and are accessed from the north elevation. Their living spaces all  face south.”

Further details here: : https://bit.ly/3c2XEvY

Planning Application No. 17/00314/PPP relating to Phase 4 (Block 4) of the Pennywell Muirhouse Civic Centre for a mixed use development comprising a nursery (class 10), library and skills hub (class 10), arts centre (class 10), flatted dwellings (sui generis), landscaping, access, parking, drainage and other associated development.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey said: “The new building is an important part of the £200million regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse that’s already seen significant investment by the Council and its partners, including Scottish Government to build new Council houses and affordable homes build a community with strong local facilities.

“Jointly led by the Council and North Edinburgh Arts, this is a great example of community empowerment showing how great value can be added to an area.  It supports our landmark priorities as a Council to end poverty in Edinburgh by 2030, as well as enhancing wellbeing and equality for our residents.

“Key aspects include the new local library which we hope will act as a community living room, reaching out to everyone. The new building also creates the opportunity to work closely with the new nursery. To have as much interaction with the children, parents and staff as possible – providing tailored events and sessions especially for those using and working in the nursery.”

Council Depute Leader, Cammy Day said: “The North Edinburgh Regeneration project is a major success story for the area, for the city and for Scotland and it’s so exciting to see this final element hitting a major milestone.

“This joint project with North Edinburgh Arts will create a unique facility at the heart of the community.  The new Early Learning and Childcare Centre will provide quality and accessible early years spaces for local children. 

“This will allow us to meet our commitments to making early years provision more flexible, to fit family needs, and deliver 1,140 hours a year of free early learning and childcare for all three- and four-year olds and eligible two-year olds.

“As part of the wider regeneration of this area we’re delivering 1,000 affordable homes as part of our pledge to build 20,000 affordable new homes in the city by 2027, which will make a substantial difference for people seeking safe, permanent homes in Scotland’s Capital.”

Chair of NEA, Lesley Hinds, said: “This new capital project will allow the organisation to flourish, alongside Council provision, and bring a first-class facility to Macmillan Square.

“NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and has been a trusted community anchor providing emergency food and support throughout the COVID lockdown. Completing the Community Asset Transfer is a big step on this exciting journey. The enthusiasm shown by our community has kept us going through some difficult times and we’re looking forward to building on this support to bring a truly inspirational place to the heart of Muirhouse.”

The new library will give an opportunity to create joint activities with the other services – providing summer activities, expanding bookbug and storytime sessions, to creating more adult learning opportunities. In addition, the local library will be a trusted and welcoming community space, a place people feel comfortable using as individuals or as a connected group: a place of connection.

The community hub will offer young people a place to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, a safe and inspiring place for local families and children, and a place where older people will feel part of a connected and supportive community.

This accessible, welcoming and much needed community space uses environment-friendly build and innovative design techniques. The re-developed and extended venue reflects current community aspirations, whilst being flexible enough to respond to future changes in demand.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic NEA offered over 35 hours of creative workshops each week, most with a family focus, alongside a wide range of other events from singing groups to circus skills workshops, exhibitions, community theatre, film clubs, and festival events.

The venue is also home to Muirhouse Link Up, the Pennywell Pantry, North Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Centre, and the Tinderbox Orchestra, all working to serve the most disadvantaged children, families and individuals in the North Edinburgh area. The extended NEA will also provide extra office space and facilities for community organisations.

ESTATE moves to Pennywell

Jimmy Cauty’s new installation, ESTATE, has been transported to Muirhouse for a month long residency from the end of May and throughout June 2021.

ESTATE is a dystopian model village experience featuring four abandoned concrete tower blocks at 1:24 scale (approx 2 metres high) housed in a 40-foot shipping container.

The tower blocks each serve a different function in the ESTATE and contain amusing scenes of mass social, economic and environmental devastation.

Produced by L-13 Light Industrial Workshop, ESTATE is hosted in Edinburgh by new producing collective, the Society of Spectacles.

This follows the 2016 residency of Cauty’s previous work, The Aftermath Dislocation Principle, at the Grassmarket in Edinburgh.

ESTATE Edinburgh moves out of the city centre to form part of L-13’s UK-wide MdZ ESTATE Tour, which has already been seen in Hull and Stoke-on-Trent.

ESTATE will be presented in the car park off Pennywell Road, next to North Edinburgh Arts.

ESTATE is viewed either individually or in social bubbles in pre-booked 10-minute slots scheduled every 15-minutes. Viewers then walk through a 40-foot shipping container to explore the tower blocks.

WARNING: The experience includes smoke, strobe lighting, wind, loud noise, tiny TV broadcasts, and is suitable for adults and children ages 5+.

ESTATE has been designed so it can be toured and viewed in compliance with Covid-19 hygiene and social distancing measures, and is wheelchair accessible.

As lockdown eases for the time being and the full long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic begin to dawn, ESTATE is a glimpse into an uncertain future that looks increasingly familiar.

Advance bookings for free entry to view ESTATE are essential.

10-minute viewing slots available to book on Thursdays to Saturdays, May 28th-June 26th (Thursday & Friday 10am – 4pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm).

ESTATE will be presented off-site in the nearby car park, near North Edinburgh Arts. To learn more and book your free place, click here.

Two youths charged after Pennywell bus attack

Two boys aged 14 and 15 have been charged after a stone was thrown at a bus in Pennywell Gardens, smashing a window. The incident occurred around 7.10pm on Wednesday 5 May.

Inspector Johnny Elliott of Drylaw Police Station said: “This kind of behaviour is dangerous and the consequences could have been far more serious.

“As part of Operation Proust, officers have been visiting schools in the area and speaking to youths about the dangers of throwing stones at public transport vehicles. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and we will make every effort to identify those responsible.

“Information from members of the public is vital in helping us quickly identify those involved in this type of criminality and we would encourage anyone who witnesses an incident to contact Police Scotland through 101.

“Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

League tables don’t reflect our schools’ amazing work

A school feels ‘under attack’ when put at the bottom of a narrow-focused league table, says Craigroyston headteacher Shelley McLaren

Each year the release of newspaper school league tables for Scotland is a day I dread, and the publication of the 2021 results yesterday was no different. The language of the headlines – “Which school is the best in Scotland?” and “Scotland’s schools ranked best to worst” – is both incredibly damaging and demoralising for staff, pupils, parents and school communities across the country, not to mention the reputational harm it can cause for years to come (writes SHELLEY McLAREN).

The stories will continue today in the local news, where it feels like we need to put on our armour and prepare for attack. No matter how much we’ve done in all other parts of school life throughout the year, the focus to determine our worth and whether we are a “good” school seems to rest singlehandedly on the one measure of how many young people achieve five Highers in one sitting.

As a school, we pick up the pieces from this for months to come – only for it to come around again next year. It is not, of course, that we do not focus on trying to improve by the measure of five Highers, but, because of context and, indeed, probably our own vision and values, we will always be near the “bottom”.

Our main aims are educating our young people out of poverty and instilling in them the belief that no matter where you come from or the challenges you have faced in your life, you can still achieve your dreams and be the best you can be. University, a modern apprenticeship or a job are all given equal weighting; the most important thing is that the young person has achieved the best they can – and, believe me, every day we support, challenge, motivate, nurture and push high expectations to ensure this happens.

League tables aren’t fair on schools

I congratulate those top-performing schools where up to 86 per cent of young people have achieved the “gold standard” of five Highers. It is an incredible achievement and should be celebrated – but everything is about context, and schools should and need to be measured on so much more.

I am not shirking accountability or responsibility as a headteacher – the measure of five Highers is important – but if closing the attainment gap simply meant improving this one measure, and that determined whether we were a “good” or “bad” school, we would have used our Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) and Scottish Attainment Challenge funding very differently – and probably not made that many gains.

I could concentrate on the fact that 70 per cent of our young people live in SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) 1 and 2 or that 20 per cent of each cohort arrive at us with a reading age of 8 or below, or that nearly 40 per cent of our students are on free school meals. This would make it easy to excuse why we are one of the “worst” schools in the league table – but I won’t, because that is not what we base our views of children on.

What I will focus on is that, in 2020, nearly 95 per cent of our young people left school to go into a positive destination – above the national average of 93.3 per cent – and that last session 100 per cent of our young people in S4 achieved five or more national qualifications (nobody was “left behind”, regardless of any barrier) and that this year 23 of our young people (almost a third of the cohort) are heading off to universities across the country – the same group of young people who didn’t achieve five Highers in one sitting.

I implore you, please don’t judge our incredible young people or our amazing school, filled with dedicated, passionate staff, on this one measure of five Highers – know that we are doing everything possible to ensure that our students are given a gold-star service to prepare them to have the best life possible after school, with or without the achievement of the “gold standard”.

Are we one of the “worst” schools in the country? Of course we’re not – and I would vehemently challenge anyone who considers this to be the case.

Shelley McLaren is headteacher at Craigroyston Community High School

This article first appeared in TES

Pennywell bus attack: Police follow a positive line of enquiry

Around 7.10pm last night (Wednesday 5 May), police received a report of a bus window being smashed in Pennywell Gardens, after a stone was thrown by a group of youths.

Enquiries are continuing and officers are following a positive line of enquiry.

What does living in North Edinburgh mean to you?

Fresh Start, with the Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership, are running online events on 12th & 13th May to allow residents to discuss how our services can adapt to fit what matters to you, the people that live and work in the area!

Join the conversation on Wednesday 12th May, 1-2.30pm by registering here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZYsd…

Or Thursday 13th May, 7pm – 8.30pm, by registering here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZ0qcu…

Please share around your networks and get the conversation going!

Outdoor face to face adult education courses to resume at Craigroyston

Just to update you on the CEC Adult Education programme – we are about to launch our first face to face courses in over a year and are very excited to offer up our outdoor courses, starting from 10th May. 

The courses will be limited to a maximum of 8 people to make sure the tutor and learners are kept safe and so early booking is recommended. The tutors are friendly, welcoming and will ensure the courses boost skills for lifelong enjoyment, as well as being safe and fun. 

To find out more about each class and to book a place, please go to www.joininedinburgh.org

There is an added bonus of being outdoors because growing research is showing a real benefit of being out in nature, for mental and physical wellbeing.

In addition, birdsong is now considered to be one of the biggest factors in focusing the mind and stopping stressful anxiety. There is a link to hearing birdsong and feeling connected to nature as well as a sense of safety because the birds are all around (and would fly off in times of danger). 

Our fees are available at standard rate, concession for students and senior citizens and reduced for people receiving benefits. 

Just book online. If you’d like more information, feel free to email:

adult.education@ea.edin.sch.uk

There are 8 week and 5 week courses as well as several one-day Saturday or Sunday courses. 

Hope you can find something that appeals. 

Walks: Suburban Strolls – All – (11/5) – OUT63912MALL11/05/2021Tuesday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Green Woodwork in the Woods – All – (11/5) – OUT62312MALL11/05/2021Tuesday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Foraging – All – (11/5) – OUT61712MALL11/05/2021Tuesday13:00 – 15:00
Walks: Over 50s Walking Group – All – (12/5) – OUT63413MALL12/05/2021Wednesday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Over 50s Walking Group – All – (12/5) – OUT63423MALL12/05/2021Wednesday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Woodland Management & Tree ID – All – (13/5) – OUT64614MALL13/05/2021Thursday10:00 – 12:00
Craft: Carving a Wooden Spoon – All – (29/5) – OUT31486MALL29/05/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Walks: Through Edinburgh’s Old & New Towns – All – (10/5) – OUT64211MALL10/05/2021Monday10:00 – 11:30
Art(PR): Sketchbook Adventures – All – (13/5) – OUT18714MALL13/05/2021Thursday10:00 – 12:00
Art(PR): Sketching Outdoors – Mixed Media – All – (13/5) – OUT19114MALL13/05/2021Thursday10:00 – 12:00
Wellbeing: Journalling Adventures with Plants – All – (13/5) – OUT64714MALL13/05/2021Thursday13:00 – 15:00
Walks: Old & New Towns – All – (14/5) – OUT63315MALL14/05/2021Friday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Navigation – Low Level Hillwalking – Beginner – (5/6) – OUT63286JBEG05/06/2021Saturday09:30 – 16:30
Walks: Navigation – Hillwalking – Beginner – (6/6) – OUT63187JBEG06/06/2021Sunday09:30 – 16:30
Art(PR): Cityscapes – All – (11/5) – OUT11712MALL11/05/2021Tuesday14:00 – 15:30
Walks: Birdwatching – All – (12/5) – OUT61413MALL12/05/2021Wednesday10:30 – 12:30
Art(PR): Sketching the City in Watercolour, Pen & Pencil – All – (13/5) – OUT19314MALL13/05/2021Thursday10:30 – 12:00
Walks: Historical Walks in Royal Mile – All – (11/5) – OUT62512MALL11/05/2021Tuesday10:00 – 12:00
Walks: Edinburgh History Walks – All – (12/5) – OUT61513MALL12/05/2021Wednesday13:00 – 14:30
Walks: Historical Walks in Central Edinburgh – All – (13/5) – OUT62414MALL13/05/2021Thursday10:00 – 12:00
Photography Workshop: Edinburgh Old Town – All – (29/5) – OUT53986MALL29/05/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Photography Workshop: in the Dean Village – All – (12/6) – OUT53886JALL12/06/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Walks: History & Archaeology of Cammo Estate – All – (29/5) – OUT62686MALL29/05/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Art(PR): Sketching in Saughton Park – All – (29/5) – OUT18986MALL29/05/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Walks: History & Archaeology of Cammo Estate – All – (12/6) – OUT62686JALL12/06/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Art(PR): Sketching Seascapes – All – (13/5) – OUT19214MALL13/05/2021Thursday11:00 – 13:00
Art(PR): Sketching Outdoors – All – (13/5) – OUT19014MALL13/05/2021Thursday14:00 – 16:00
Art(PR): Sketching in Leith – All – (12/6) – OUT18886JALL12/06/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Walks: Foraging for Medicinal Plants – All – (12/6) – OUT61886JALL12/06/2021Saturday10:00 – 15:00
Tai Chi – All – (12/5) – OUT60313MALL12/05/2021Wednesday10:00 – 11:30
Art(PR): Sketching Outdoors – All – (14/5) – OUT19015MALL14/05/2021Friday15:00 – 17:00

FIONA HENDERSON 

Lifelong learning development officer for Adult Education