Police are appealing for information after two “bogus workman” incidents in the Corstorphine area.
The first incident happened at a property on Broomhall Avenue and was reported around 12.35pm Wednesday (21 April).
Two unidentified men claimed to have carried out work on a neighbour’s roof which had extended to the house owner’s property.
They persuaded the resident to give them a low three figure sum of money for their work. It eventually turned out now work had been carried out.
The second incident happened at Craigmount Place in Edinburgh around 10.45am and again involved two men attempting to persuade work was needed on the roof of an elderly resident’s property.
However, they ultimately left empty handed after the resident spoke to his bank who raised concerns this may be fraudulent.
Both incidents are being treated as linked and enquiries are ongoing.
Both men are white. One was in his mid to late 40s, of slim build with short brown hair. He was wearing a red jumper and brown trousers. The second is described as wearing a dark jumper.They were using a white panel van.
Detective Constable Jenna Lawrie of Corstorphine Police Station said: “We are carrying out extensive enquiries to identify these men and would urge anyone else who believes they may have seen him to get in touch.
“We would urge everyone to be wary if anyone attending unexpectedly at your property and always to ask for identification.
“False callers are often well practiced and can be very convincing. A genuine caller will expect you to check for identification and will not put you under any pressure if you check.
“Anyone who has information about these incidents is asked to call 101, quoting incident 1283 of 21 April, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Police are appealing for information after a man was reported to have been assaulted and then struck by a vehicle in Stenhouse last night (Wednesday, 7 April, 2021).
Around 7.25 pm on Wednesday evening, police were called to a report of an altercation in Stenhouse Grove, involving two men. Shortly afterwards, a black 4×4 vehicle was seen to deliberately drive at one of the men in Stenhouse Street West, striking him and causing him to fall to the ground.
The vehicle then drove off and the man ran off along Stenhouse Street West.
The suspect, who is thought to be the driver of the 4×4, is described as white, in his 20s, 5 ft 10, of slim build, of gaunt appearance and had short blonde/brown hair. He was wearing a light coloured top and grey jogging bottoms. He spoke with a local accent.
Detective Sergeant Dougal Begg, Corstorphine CID, said: “At the moment our priority is to trace the man struck by the vehicle, primarily to ensure that he is safe and well. We want to make sure he receives any medical treatment he may need after this incident and would ask him to get in touch with police.
“We are still trying to establish why this happened.
“From our enquiries so far, the man struck by the vehicle, who is only described as white, 20-30 years old, of medium build, possibly brown hair, was wearing a beige jumper and grey jogging bottoms, was assaulted by a man, on Stenhouse Grove, Edinburgh.
“It is believed that the attacker then got into a black 4×4, with a male passenger on board, before deliberately striking the other man, throwing him into a hedge and then driving off.
“Officers are carrying out enquiries in the area in an effort to trace those involved.
“I would ask anyone who saw what happened, or who has any information that can assist our enquiry, contact CID officers at Corstorphine Police Station, Edinburgh, via 101. Please quote reference number 2912 of 7 April, 2021, when calling.
“Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Corstorphine and Wester Hailes stores set to close
Health and household goods retailer Semichem is consulting on the closure of up to 22 stores across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East of England.EdinburghSemichem stores at Corstorphine and Wester Hailes are among those earmarked for closure.
Stores in Musselburgh and Dalkeith also face closure.
The closures have been prompted by ongoing challenges to high street trading, which have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The business, which is owned by community retailer Scotmid Co-operative, is in talks with landlords in several locations and will make a final decision on a small number of the 22 stores in the coming months.
A total of 140 Semichem staff have now entered a formal consultation process. Management at Scotmid are exploring opportunities to redeploy as many as possible within its wider business.
Karen Scott, Head of Semichem, said: “The high street was already struggling to adapt to the pace of change in shopping habits, including out-of-town developments and the rise of internet shopping.
“That change has undoubtedly been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, we have reached the point where it is no longer viable to keep some of our stores open.
“We are grateful for both Scotmid and subsequent government support, which has undoubtedly prolonged the life of many stores.
“Our priority now is to support affected colleagues at this difficult time. We are already looking for redeployment opportunities within the Scotmid group and will help all our staff both personally and professionally.”
Semichem was founded in 1980 and became part of Scotmid Co-operative in 1995. It currently operates 86 stores in shopping centres and on high streets across Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North East of England. Over the last three years, Semichem has invested £2.2 million in refitting stores and trialling a range of new retail concepts.
Karen Scott added: “The remaining stores in our Semichem portfolio are trading satisfactorily given the current circumstances.
“Like many other retailers, we are hopeful that, as restrictions ease, footfall will return to our high streets. I am also pleased to say that our investment programme will resume in the summer.”
The City of Edinburgh Council and Corstorphine Cougars RFC is celebrating a £50,000.00 funding boost from SUEZ Communities Trust and the FCC Communities Foundation for a rugby pitch drainage project at Union Park.
Corstorphine Cougars Rugby Club lease two rugby pitches from the City of Edinburgh Council at Union Park in Carrick Knowe.
One of the pitches is floodlit to facilitate evening training sessions. The growth in playing numbers in recent years has meant that the pitch is regularly in demand 7 days a week.
The club’s success, notably in recruiting primary and secondary schoolchildren (girls and boys) and senior women players, has been undermined by poor drainage effectively making it unusable for long periods during the winter months.
This funding will enable the installation of an environmentally sustainable drainage solution (SuDS) at the park. The project is planned to be completed in late March by Groundwater Dynamics using their patented EGRP technology.
Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener welcomed the news: “As a Council we are committed to promoting and supporting access to sport and physical wellbeing and this is a fantastic result for Union Park.
“I look forward to seeing work get underway to install the environmentally sustainable draining solution and seeing the pitches being enjoyed all year round.
“We will continue to work with sports clubs across the capital to look at how we can best manage facilities.”
Stewart Pilkington, Corstorphine Cougars RFC President, said: “We’ve been very successful in growing the club in the last few years.
“This project will be a game changer in improving the club’s training and playing facilities as we push forward with our development plans and continue to encourage participation in rugby in the west of Edinburgh. We are very grateful to each of the funders for their valuable contributions.”
SUEZ Communities Trust and FCC Communities Foundation each contributed £25,000 through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund to the £65,000 project.
Funding from the City of Edinburgh Council’s North West Locality Community Grants Fund, the Scottish Rugby Union, Friends of Scottish Rugby and the rugby club itself made up the balance.
Community engagement to help develop proposals for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in three parts of the city has begun. The city council is proposing measures to make it safer and more comfortable to walk, cycle, wheel and spend time in Leith, Corstorphine and East Craigs.
Following public engagement and subject to committee approval the schemes would be introduced under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The council says this provides further opportunities for public involvement in refining measures, even once they’re in place:
‘We’re now seeking residents’ views on travel choices and spaces for movement and relaxation in the relevant areas. Feedback will be used to inform design proposals for each of the schemes, which are the first in a potential programme of low traffic neighbourhoods being considered across the city.
‘In Leith, we’re also developing a protected cycle lane between the Foot of the Walk and Ocean Terminal, which will complement the adjacent Trams to Newhaven project, as well as pedestrianizing Sandport Place Bridge and creating a bus-only section at the Shore. We’re seeking people’s views on concept designs as part of the engagement.’
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “As we look to make a green recovery from the pandemic, it’s important that we get back to work on our long-term plans to support sustainable, active travel and healthy communities, where children can play safely and air pollution is reduced.
“There’s a range of research to show the positive impact LTNs can have on reducing ‘through’ traffic and encouraging people to walk, cycle, wheel and spend time in local areas. We want to bring these benefits to neighbourhoods across Edinburgh and to make sure the changes work for everyone, which is why we want to hear from as many people as possible.”
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “We envision a much safer, more relaxing and ‘people-friendly’ Capital, which is why we’re developing LTNs for different communities.
“By introducing them on an experimental basis we want to involve the people that live here in their evolution, and their participation begins now, as we start to develop designs.”
LTNs are initiatives where motor vehicle traffic is significantly reduced in residential streets, limiting the volume of ‘through traffic’ while maintaining vehicle access for people who live there. This creates a safer, more pleasant and inclusive environment for walking, cycling, wheeling and playing, reducing air pollution, encouraging healthy, active travel and opening up space for improvements like pocket parks, seating areas and planting.
Various studies have demonstrated the positive impacts similar schemes introduced elsewhere in the UK have had on communities. In London, research has shown the ‘mini-Holland programme’, introduced in boroughs across the city, saw a trend toward reduced car use and an increase in active travel.
Each of the schemes being put forward for Edinburgh responds to needs and issues specific to the neighbourhoods, including –
Corstorphine: Creating safer routes to school, addressing issues with speed and volume of traffic in residential streets, creating new public spaces and improving cycle routes, including links to the future West Edinburgh Link
East Craigs: Protecting streets from the impact of new developments in the west of Edinburgh, creating safer routes to school, addressing issues with speed and volume of traffic in residential streets and improving cycle routes, including links to the future West Edinburgh Link
Leith: Enhancing and promoting access to public transport, improving cycling provision in the area, addressing issues with traffic volume and speed in residential streets.
The city council says proposals being developed are ‘entirely separate and distinct from any temporary measures being implemented as part of the Spaces for People programme‘.
As part of the engagement process ‘community reference groups’ are being formed of representatives from community and interest groups in each of the areas, offering additional opportunities for residents to feed back. However, this will not supersede the responses gathered as part of the consultation process.
Following community engagement, design proposals will be developed for the three LTNs, which will then be shared for further public engagement.
Designs will then be refined and brought to Transport and Environment Committee in June for approval and permission to start the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
Subject to committee approval, following ETRO consultation, changes would be implemented on a trial basis in October.
For the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal active travel improvements, further development of existing designs will follow feedback, with the aim of publishing Traffic Regulation Orders later this year and beginning construction in 2022.
The next steps will be taken toward introducing new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) to help alleviate parking pressures around Edinburgh, if approved by councillors this week.
On Thursday (28 January), Transport and Environment Committee will consider the results of an informal consultation on proposals for new controls in Leith, Gorgie and Shandon, as well as details on the operation of measures. Designs for parking controls have been amended following consultation and, if approved, we’ll commence the legal processes for introducing them.
This is the first of four phases of implementation of parking controls around the city, developed as part of the Strategic Parking Review, which was originally approved in 2018. The review has taken a holistic approach to parking pressures across Edinburgh, assessing the city on a street by street basis.
This has led to the identification of areas where parking controls may be required to resolve challenges facing residents, in particular from non-residential parking.
The report also updates on timescales for phase two (Roseburn, Corstorphine, Willowbrae and Saughton), phase three (Southside and Fettes) and phase four (Newhaven, Trinity, South Morningside, Portobello, Stenhouse and Saughton), which have been impacted by COVID-19.
Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “This review responds to the concerns of residents across the city, many of whom have told us that they want to see controls introduced to help limit the impact of non-residential parking.
Thanks to an in-depth, citywide analysis we have been able to identify the areas most in need of restrictions. Of course, the way we travel has changed immeasurably over the last year, but the introduction of new CPZs will be extremely beneficial to managing parking pressures when we eventually return to some sense of normality.
Not only do these controls help residents to park near their homes, but they can encourage those travelling into and around the city to consider alternative, sustainable modes of transport.”
The city council began the Strategic Parking Review in 2018 in response to comments from residents, community councils and ward councillors across the city, which demonstrated increasing support for new parking controls to limit non-residential parking.
An in-depth review split the city into five areas, further subdivided into 124 investigation areas, helping to generate heat maps for each location showing relative parking pressures by street. As a result, a series of new parking controls were approved in 2019, to be implemented in four phases.
On Thursday, committee members will also be asked to agree proposals to commence the legal process for introducing limited parking controls in Sighthill Industrial Estate to help manage parking demand there, as well as restrictions on the availability of permits for new or redeveloped properties.
The report details an approach to consultation for future phases in light of COVID restrictions, with virtual drop-in sessions, detailed plans online and opportunities to feed back on proposals via websites, interactive plans and questionnaires.
Consultation on phase two of the Strategic Parking Review is expected to begin in February.
Artisan Real Estate commits to further investment in the Capital with homes designed for ‘Post-Covid Living’
‘Ambitious’ proposals for 126 new energy-efficient homes on the site of a former care home in Corstorphine have been given the go ahead by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Artisan Real Estate’s Rowanbank Gardens site brings together a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments on the site of the former Gylemuir Care Home, overlooking Gyle Park, close to the main A8 access route into the city. The development has been heralded as a blueprint for post-Covid living, bringing together smart energy-efficient design geared to achieving low to zero carbon ratings whilst responding to the rapidly changing requirements of home buyers and the wider community following lockdown.
Apartments have been designed around an internal courtyard garden filled with fruit trees and communal planting and growing beds, as well as a children’s play park, a natural woodland area and formal lawns.
The homes are designed for open-plan living with most having easy access to a private courtyard or large balcony overlooking the gardens, while innovations such as green roofs ensure benefits of surface water retention, improved insulation and ecology.
Welcoming the planning approval, Artisan’s Regional Sales Team Leader, Christie Turner, said: “This is part of a £90 million investment commitment to raise the standards of sustainable living at prime city centre brownfield sites across Edinburgh.
“Rowanbank Gardens is a significant planning application providing much-needed new homes in a popular and accessible part of the city. The site is ideally located between a large public open space and a major retail park, with superb transport links in and out of the city.
“At its heart is a sustainable design which reflects the demands of modern life, with buildings designed to minimise carbon footprint and maximise daylight. Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.
“The site fits in well with Artisan’s approach of regenerating brownfield sites with good public transport links and is well set to meet the Council’s stated requirement for well designed, high density living whilst providing spacious communal areas and well-established public transport links ensuring low car ownership. There are also all-electric charging points for the provided car parking, City Car Club membership and generous secure cycle parking.”
She added: “The planning application follows a period of consultation with local people and community groups earlier this year, and we received a lot of feedback which we incorporated into our final proposal.
“There has been strong interest in the development from Corstorphine residents, many of whom wanted to downsize and stay in the area and from families looking for more space. We are now looking forward to getting on site and progressing with the development, continuing with our ongoing investment to get the city living again following lockdown.”
Artisan is perhaps best known in Scotland for large-scale urban regeneration projects like the award-winning New Waverley at the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town.
Its Queen Elizabeth House office development, now a flagship UK Government hub, was recently awarded the Innovation Award at the 2020 British Council Offices Awards, recognising the building design which includes a variety of low-energy techniques.
The developer is now applying the same values, resource and design philosophy to its residential developments which is quickly setting it apart from other major homebuilders in Scotland.
Other city projects include Canonmills Garden comprising 180 luxury apartments and colony properties overlooking the Water of Leith in Canonmills, to the north of the city centre, with the first phase dues for completion in spring 2021.
Edinburgh residents are urged to celebrate what’s on our doorsteps in a festive season campaign that encourages shoppers to support local businesses when looking for the perfect present.
Launched today and extending through 2021, the ‘Shop Here This Year’ campaign shines a spotlight on 11 neighbourhoods and town centres across the city. It celebrates the quality independent retailers, eateries, and personal shopping experiences which bring our local high streets to life.
Highlighting unique aspects of each area, the campaign, aligned to the Scotland’s Towns Partnership Shop Local activities, will roll out across the Council’s digital platforms under the hashtag #shopherethisyear.
Businesses and shoppers are urged to get behind the campaign, sharing on their own social channels and supporting the local businesses which have such a vital impact on the city economy, local supply chains and local jobs.
The 11 areas that will be the focus of the campaign include: Leith & Leith Walk, Gorgie & Dalry, Bruntsfield & Morningside, Nicolson & Clerk Street, Tollcross, Royal Mile, Greater Grassmarket, Queensferry, Corstorphine, Stockbridge and Portobello.
For each location, the campaign will use real customer reviews to champion the range of unique experiences and products available across Edinburgh.
To mark the campaign’s launch an ultimate Christmas hamper of Edinburgh goodies, worth around £400, from businesses across the neighbourhoods is up for grabs.
Prizes include a tour and delicious samples from local gin distillers, Harris Tweed face coverings, luxury shortbread, selected fine wine, local jams, chutneys, cheeses, baked goods, festive treats and more.
To explore these fantastic vendors by bike, Just Eat Cycles include an annual pass in this giveaway and Edinburgh Zoo are giving away a VIP pass for the whole family to their Christmas Zoo experience.
For a chance to win, Edinburgh residents are asked to take to social media and share what makes their favourite independent shops special, using the hashtag #shopherethisyear and tagging @Edinburgh or @ThisIsEdinburgh on Instagram. Terms & Conditions apply, please go to Edinburgh.org for more details.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: “There are so many amazing independent retail businesses across our city offering a unique and personal experience while contributing much to our local communities, local economies and providing jobs.
“It goes without saying that all sectors have suffered because of the Covid-19 pandemic this year. That’s why, more now than ever, it’s so important that we all support our local businesses.”
Vice Convener Councillor Mandy Watt said: “It’s so important that businesses get behind this campaign so we can all share the collective message that people across Edinburgh should #shopherethisyear – we’re all in this together and its inspiring to see the hard work put in by retailers to keep customers safe while they shop local.“
Small Business Champion Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron said: “Edinburgh businesses have invested in, innovated and adapted their operating arrangements to comply with continuing Tier 3 restrictions to keep patrons, customers and staff safe.
“They deserve our thanks and, more importantly, our support – as a Council, and as a city. With the festive season and #SmallBusinessSaturday2020 (on 5 December) fast approaching, I hope Edinburgh residents and businesses will embrace the #shopherethisyear initiative: by shopping local, by creating, liking and sharing posts on social media and by encouraging families and friends to do so too.”
Beth Edberg, who runs Scottish food emporium Cranachan and Crowdie on the Royal Mile, said: “Businesses across Edinburgh have never needed residents to shop local more than they do now in the run-up to Christmas. That’s why this new Shop Here This Year campaign is so very welcome”.
The campaign, aligned with the #ForeverEdinburgh city-wide partnership initiative, has been funded by Scotland’s Towns Partnership as part of the wider Scotland Loves Local campaign which is designed to encourage shoppers across the country to think local first.
City Centre brownfield Sites to become £90 m ‘Blueprint’ for Low Carbon Living
Artisan Real Estate is set to invest £150 million in residential development in Scotland over the next 12 months in a radical bid to raise standards for sustainable living in prime city centre locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The niche homebuilder and regeneration specialist launched a new UK-wide building design framework earlier this year geared to increasing low carbon city living whilst meeting the changing requirements of people and communities in a post-Covid world.
And now this game-changing blueprint could have significant environmental and investment benefits for Scotland’s cities as the developer progresses with ambitious new homes’ projects planned for city centre brownfield sites
In Edinburgh, Artisan is planning to invest more than £90 million in several significant city centre residential developments.
The first phases of the Canonmills Garden scheme will be ready for occupation in spring 2021, while planning applications for two major projects at Rowanbank Gardens, Corstorphine and Abbey Lane in Abbeyhill will be discussed by the City of Edinburgh Council at the end of November.
Clive Wilding, Artisan’s Group Development Director, believes Artisan’s investment in Edinburgh especially will fast become a blueprint for the company’s housing projects across the rest of the UK, coming at a critical time for investment in the city.
“Artisan is firmly committed to future investment to get the city living again following lockdown,” he explains. “Initially our plan was to achieve low to zero carbon development across all our new homes developments.
“But the challenges highlighted by the pandemic has accelerated the importance of other critical aspects of development planning – such as technological efficiency, easy access to the outdoors and improved amenity space.
“We are going above and beyond the existing Council guidelines for sensitive city centre environments. This includes reducing urban sprawl by optimising the number of people living in well-designed, sustainable homes in low car-use locations well-served by public transport and linked to pedestrian and cycle networks.
“Smart energy-efficient building design has been matched with an innovative approach to placemaking and community. Across all our developments, we are introducing creative concepts such as green roofs, communal ‘edible’ gardens with fruit and vegetable plots and integrated green transport plans.”
“We are also envisaging what people want from their post-Covid living environment,” he adds. “Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible balconies, gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.”
Such development principles have been applied to the major planning application for 126 new homes at Artisan’s Rowanbank Gardens.
The brownfield former care-home site in Corstorphine is set to answer the City of Edinburgh Council’s requirement for well designed, high density living whilst providing spacious communal areas and well-established public transport links ensuring low car ownership.
The development is designed around a central courtyard garden providing nearly twice the level of open space recommended by Council planning policy, filled with fruit trees and communal planting and growing beds.
Apartments are designed for open plan living with large windows giving views of the courtyard and the wider area, while green roofs ensure benefits of surface water retention, insulation and ecology.
Artisan is perhaps best known in Scotland for large-scale city regeneration projects like the award-winning New Waverley at the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town.
The development’s Queen Elizabeth House, now a flagship UK Government office hub, was recently awarded the Innovation Award at the 2020 British Council Offices Awards, recognising the building design which includes a variety of low-energy techniques.
The developer is now applying the same values and philosophy which has guided the successful design and execution of New Waverley to its residential developments, setting it apart from other major homebuilders in Scotland.
Clive Wilding adds: “Artisan now has an opportunity in Scotland to set a new benchmark for high quality urban regeneration in sensitive city-centre environments – whether it be commercial, residential or mixed-use.
“Our track record in Edinburgh and in Scotland has given us a strong understanding of the importance of sustainable low carbon living combined with high quality placemaking, which is at the heart of all Artisan’s developments.”
For more information on Artisan’s developments in Scotland and the UK visit:
