Residents to fight City Park housing plans

Local residents will fight plans to build housing on City Park. A new Save City Park campaign group has been set up to challenge plans to build houses on the site off Pilton Drive North. The group says that the area needs it’s last remaining green space and could not cope with more traffic on roads and side streets.

Save City Park campaigners say that City Park – the former home of The Spartans –  ‘is a vital part of Edinburgh’s landscape and heritage and plays an important role in enhancing the city’s environment. It is one of an ever decreasing number of green “lungs” in a city of ever-increasing development.’

The group says that a plans by Link Group to build a mixed-tenure housing development on the City Park site would destroy the quality and character of the local area and put even more strain on already overstretched local services.

Falkirk-based Link Group employs 400 staff and celebrates it’s 50th birthday this year. The company is ‘one of Scotland’s leading providers of housing and related services’. The organisation’s website continues: ‘The Link companies help to deliver innovative regeneration projects in partnership with local communities, including health facilities, environmental initiatives, training schemes and financial inclusion projects. We are committed to the welfare of tenants and to the principles of social justice and inclusion.’

Interested members of the public will have three different opportunities to see and hear what is being proposed for City Park at a series of consultation events over the coming fortnight. Next Wednesday (24 October) Link will have a staffed presentation from 4.30 – 7.30pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on Pilton Drive North and on Thursday (25th October) the exhibition moves on to The Spartans Community Football Academy off Pilton Drive, again from 4.30 – 7.30pm.

Link representatives will also be making a presentation to Granton and District Community Council’s meeting on Monday 29 October at 7pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre – this meeting is open to members of the public and all are welcome to attend.

The City Park campaigners concerns are highlighted on their new website which can be found at http://savecitypark.co.uk

 Has housing reached saturation point in East Pilton? Or is the need for more social and affordable housing more urgent than green space? What do you think – let us know!