Day: June 26, 2013

Green light for City Park development

cropped-top-logo1[1]A local campaign to stop the development of City Park has failed. At a meeting of the city council’s Development Management Sub-Committee of the Planning Committee this morning councillors accepted officer recommendations to approve a substantial housing development on the site off Ferry Road.

The decision will be a huge blow to local residents who have fought a long campaign against the redevelopment of the site which was formerly home to Spartans. campaigners argued for the need to retain open green space in a heavily developed area, but councillors gave the go-ahead for the new residential development which will consist of seven apartment buildings with associated car parking.CIDDYEarlier this month Save City Park campaigners thanked local people for their support. In a statement on their website, the group said: ‘Thank you all for your support of our campaign to Save City Park. We submitted a petition with almost 1000 signatures to the Council and approximately 300 comments were received by the planning office regarding the proposed residential development of City Park/West Winnelstrae. This was a superb effort by all and your ongoing support is very much appreciated. Our next step is to secure the long-term future of City Park as public green open space.’

It now appears that the long-term future of City Park will not be green, but housing.

CITY PARK

 

Letter: Warning – pensions under attack

Dear Editor

Pensioners of today and tomorrow, be aware: the government is laying the ground for further attacks on pensions and pensioners benefits.

First, they have to divide opposition, for example by saying they wish to be fair by stopping the wealthy getting the winter heating allowance. It sounds fine, but does that mean the introduction of a means test for everyone to qualify? And who sets the level?

Other benefits, such as travel passes, television licence and free medicine prescriptions – things to help pensioners maintain some quality of life – are threatened: the government is looking to see if the nation can ‘afford’ them.

The campaign of setting one section of people against another is well-prepared, with millions of words and pictures; every person working or retired is the target. Just a few figures:

  • 31% of the population are of retiring age; not all get a full pension as many qualifying conditions apply
  • The government is raising the age of retirement for women from 60 to 65 by 2018 and for both men ad women to 66 by 2020, with increases to 67 and 68 later on
  • The ‘full’ state pension is only approximately one sixth of the average age
  • The amount paid out in pensions from the total wealth produced in one year is approximately 5%, yet the percentage of the population’s pensioners is 31% (and most have contributed to a pension scheme throughout their working lives).

Just two further points: today’s working population, who now produce all the nation’s wealth, were raised, loved and cared for by our pensioners. Today’s working population and pensioners combined have massive voting power: use it!

Tony Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens