More help for Scottish homebuyers

Housing Minister visits Pennywell

The Scottish Government will spend £195 million over the next three years on a new shared equity scheme to help around 6,500 households buy a new-build home, it was announced yesterday.

The successor to the existing Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme will focus on affordable homes, with eligible buyers receiving an equity loan towards the purchase price of a new-build home.

There will also be on-going support for small developers, building on the success of the Small Developers scheme, launched in January.

With this new funding, and the Help to Buy scheme, the house-building industry will have received around half a billion pounds of support over a six-year period.

The Scottish Government will work with the house-building industry and lenders to agree on how the new scheme will operate. Further details will be announced following the UK Government’s spending review in November.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil visited Pennywell yesterday to meet families who have bought homes through the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme.

Mr Neil said: “Making sure everyone in Scotland has access to good-quality housing is a vital part of the Scottish Government’s drive to secure economic growth, promote social justice, strengthen communities and tackle inequality.

“By targeting resources at affordable homes, the new scheme will widen access by providing a helping hand to individuals and families who wish to buy a new-build home.

“By the end of this new scheme, coupled with support through the current Help to Buy scheme, we will have helped around 14,000 households buy a new-build home.

“We will also reach our five-year plan of 30,000 affordable homes by March 2016 and our planned investment in affordable housing will exceed £1.7 billion.

“Conditions in the housing sector have continually improved under this government. We have seen sustained falls in homelessness and repossessions and a sixth successive annual fall in housing waiting lists.

“We have abolished the Right to Buy, protecting up to 15,500 social homes from sale over the next ten years, and thanks to our funding, councils are building new homes for the first time in 30 years.

“This considerable investment means that through Help to Buy and its successor, the Scottish Government will have invested around half a billion pounds over six years, providing the private sector and construction industry with a huge boost.”

Regeneration firm Urban Union Ltd, a joint venture between construction firms McTaggart Construction and Robertson Group (Holdings), has been appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council to build more than 700 affordable and private homes in Pennywell.

Graeme Nicol, Managing Director, Urban Union Ltd said: “We welcome the news that Help to Buy is continuing through a new shared equity scheme.

“Help to Buy has been incredibly popular – the majority of buyers at our developments at Pennywell in Edinburgh and Laurieston in Glasgow received funding through this scheme.

“Urban Union is committed to delivering affordable homes and the continuation of support, focusing on the affordable housing market, is a much needed and welcome boost for people who need it most.”

City of Edinburgh Council Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day (above), said: “I welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to help more people buy affordable, energy efficient homes.

“Increasing housing costs in Edinburgh have priced many people out of the private ownership market, making it impossible for them to get on the property ladder.

“I hope that today’s announcement means more people in Edinburgh will benefit from the Help to Buy scheme and also means that we will be able to take forward more projects like Pennywell, which has played a vital role in regeneration of the local area.”

A meander through Muirhouse?

Join Pilton Community Health Project’s walkers for a summer stroll through Muirhouse and Silverknowes this Thursday evening. All welcome – walk leaves Muirhouse Community Shop on Pennywell Road at 7pm.

Office space to let in North Edinburgh

Two local projects have office space to let

North Edinburgh Arts (above) has a ‘Big Bright Office’ space available from 1st September:

Ground floor office with large corner window
Can accommodate 4/5 desks
Built in kitchen with sink, cooker, fridge, dishwasher
All utility costs (gas, electricity, water) included
Reception duties, 9am – 5pm, and post handling included
Access to a photocopier/colour printer charged per print
Access to meeting/workshop rooms by arrangement
Free parking
Lively community café on site
Award winning gardens on site

Other agencies operating out of NEA include Tomorrow’s People, Muirhouse Link Up, Licketyspit Theatre Company, Tinderbox Orchestra, North Edinburgh Timebank. Ideal for a creative, community, or third sector organisation.

Cost £600 per calendar month

For more details or to arrange a visit call Sandra on 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

And across in Granton Mains, The Prentice Centre (above) also has office space available to let.

This would be most suitable for small charities, community groups or social enterprises. There is also the opportunity for two or three small organisations to share the premises if you only require office space for one or two days per week.

The Prentice Centre is a modern, purpose built Community Centre serving the communities of West Granton, Pilton, Muirhouse, Royston/Wardieburn and Drylaw.

Office space comprising one main office with a large storage cupboard and small kitchen area has now become available in The Prentice Centre.

The office has space for 3 work stations, with additional space for low level seating. There are adequate power points within each workspace; the tenant would have to install telephone and internet.

The rental includes: heat, lighting, security shutters and alarm, cleaning, reception services and contribution to the performing rights society fees.

The centre is Wi-Fi enabled, there is ample free on street parking nearby.

The Prentice Centre is open Monday to Thursday 8am to 8.30pm, 8am to 3pm on a Friday all year, with the exception of Edinburgh Public Holidays and Christmas through New Year, when we are closed.

The unique aspect of a let in the Prentice Centre is the ability to hire our Board and other meeting rooms at a fraction of their cost: we can supply tea and coffee for meetings at an additional cost. Our Board Room has a ceiling mounted projector with a screen: there is a laptop available for use, making it ideal for formal meetings and for training purposes. We are also on a number of main Lothian Bus routes including numbers: 8, 14, 16, 24 and 32

This space is ideally suited to small to medium sized community groups, charities or social enterprises who must share the ethos of West Granton Community Trust who own the Centre. Sharing the office with another small charity or social enterprise may be possible.

Rental in the region of £5000 per annum

Please contact Janet on 0131 552 0485 for further details and to arrange to view the office.

Our bus is coming back!

Victory for community councils bus campaign

Local residents will be able to get a 42 bus to Craigleith Retail Park again from October. Lothian Buses have agreed to reinstate the service and support the alteration to the 42 route following a joint appeal by local community councils.

Drylaw Telford Community Council chairman Alex Dale, who coordinated the campaign, said local residents will be delighted to hear the news. “The 42 service into the Retail Park has been missed and I’m often being asked: ‘when are we getting our bus back?’ It’s taken a while but it’s great to be able to tell people that the service is to be reinstated from the beginning of October. It’s good news and I hope local people will take the opportunity to use the service.”

Drylaw Telford CC joined forces with Stockbridge Inverleith, Blackhall Craigleith and Muirhouse Salvesen community councils to petition for the return of the service back in March, and Alex received confirmation from Lothian Buses earlier this week that the 42 will return to the local Retail Park this autumn.

The service was withdrawn because traffic problems around the shopping centre caused delays and disruption to the timetable, but it’s hoped that improvements to traffic signalling will reduce excessive delays.

A spokesperson for Lothian Buses confirmed that the 42 bus service will return to Craigleith Shopping Centre from 4 October on Monday – Fridays as a trial.

Theatre opportunity for young people at North Edinburgh Arts

Red and the Wolf: An exciting theatre opportunity for North Edinburgh’s young people – and it’s free

Red and the Wolf by Liminal Dance is an immersive theatre performance working with a locally-based community cast of young people aged 8-16 years, in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts.

Explore movement, dance and storytelling
Perform with professional artists
Create your own unique performance
Open to all, no experience necessary
@ North Edinburgh Arts
Places are FREE

Rehearsals on:

Thursday 30 July
Saturday 1August
Monday 3 August
Tuesday 4 August
Wednesday 5 August

Rehearsal times: 10-5pm (except Saturday, 10-1pm)

Performance on Wednesday 5 August, 7pm

To book places and tickets: 0131 315 2151 / admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

North Edinburgh Arts
15a Pennywell Court
EH4 4TZ

www.liminaldanceuk.com
facebook.com/redandthewolf2015

Mum, I’m bored …

We’re just one week into the school holidays – only SIX weeks to go! See below for a list of what’s available locally to keep your little darlings amused …

Summer Programme 2015 All in One

Forth’s youth told: think BIG!

Think BIG. Think bold. Be creative. And there’s no such thing as a daft idea! That was the message to participants at an event held at Pilton Youth & Childrens Project last week – and the results of the day’s work will help to guide youth service provision across Forth Neighbourhood.

Organised by Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and Total Craigroyston, YouthTalk brought together young people from across Forth with community representatives and decision makers to discuss three key issues.

‘Positively Engaging Young People’ is one of Forth Neighbourhood Partnership’s main priorities and Convener Cllr Cammy Day explained to delegates: “We want young people’s views and aspirations to influence decisions that are taken locally and to listen to their suggestions about how things can be improved for them. We want them to have a real say in the future of this community and how it develops over the next ten or more years”.

A background report to aid discussion was prepared prior to the Youth Talk event. During the review young people across Forth were approached in schools, libraries, at youth groups, basically anywhere they assembled – and asked their opinions on the area. North Edinburgh Young Peoples Forum organised and conducted a survey in four local High Schools and the local Street Work team also gathered views: all told around 1400 young people gave their opinions on their local community -what they like, what they hate and what Forth needs to make it better for young people.

Assisted by motivational speaker Mike Stevenson from Thinktastic, Wednesday’s YouthTalk event saw young people and ‘seniors’ working together in small groups to discuss three ‘ideas’:

How do we involve more young people in positive activity?

How do we better promote the positive contribution our young people make in their community?

What should an ideal youth-friendly community look like – and how do we get there?

Once participants got into the swing of things, the conversation – and the ideas – began to flow. Some of the ideas generated – for example a common social media address for local youth groups to share information, and an annual celebration of young people’s achievements – proved very popular and could be acted on almost immediately. Others, however, may take longer – you did ask the young people to think BIG, Mike!

All of the ideas generated – big and small – will be recorded and a report of the YouthTalk event will be circulated in due course. It will make interesting reading!

And finally, thanks so much for the warm words and that round of applause for the NEN – it was really touching and much appreciated!

Summer playscheme – then some more!

Preparations are well underway for an absolutely HUGE summer programme for children in Muirhouse (writes JAMES McGINTY).

Summer Play Scheme Walk

Friday 26 June, leaves from the Centre to Cramond at 1pm

Parents and Walkers can obtain a sponsorship form from the Reception desk at the Centre from Eileen or Peter Airlie (Manager). Others who do not or cannot walk but wish to donate to the summer playscheme can do so through Eileen or Peter at the Centre.

We would like to thank Helen Fisher on behalf of the Old Kirk & Muirhouse Parish Church for their generous donation towards the Scheme. The children themselves have been raising money throughout the year by Bag-packing and various other activities.

Prior to the charity walk and the summer play scheme (starts Tuesday 3 July), The Boys Club + jass Groups go on a Residential to Ratho (Mon 29 June – Wed 1 July) on their return the Girls Club + Jass Groups go to Ratho from Wednesday 1 to Friday 3 July.

This is a truly exciting period for the children with a wholesome and varied programme planned for them over the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for three weeks.As if doing one residential and running the Play Scheme at the same time would be enough, we are not going to stop there: one of the biggest Residentials we have ever planned will be to take more than 30 children aged 5 years to 12 years away for an experience of their young lives – to Towford Bothy in the Scottish borders for a week of activities delivered by MY Adventure!

To access The My Adventure website click HERE

It’s Power of Food Festival weekend!

It’s here! Edinburgh’s community gardeners take centre stage this weekend as The Power of Food Festival takes place at venues and locations across the city.

PoF Programme

For further info visit https://poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com/

Celebrating our own ‘phenomenal women!

Getting together, Making A Difference exhibition opens

North Edinburgh’s Womens International Group launched their eagerly-anticipated Gettting Together, Making A Difference exhibition with song, speeches, films, discusssion and even a little poetry at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre today.

The exhibition highlights the work carried out by local women activists over the years to improve conditions for the people living in ourNorh Edinburgh communities.

The event was all about the importance of solidarity and community spirit, mutual support and the need to keep up the fight to save local services. It’s an argument that was eloquently made in the past by activists like Jenny Marrow, Evelyn Preston, Maureen MacMillan Gwen Crystal and Sandra Purnell -strong voices sadly no longer with us.

You get the impression, though, that the fighting spirit still burns just as brightly in the hearts of our current activists – both the young and the vastly experienced, all of whom packed Royston Wardieburn today. I’m sure Jenny, Evelyn, Maureen – all of them – would have loved this celebration.

Me? I was just proud to be an honorary woman for the day!

More pictures on our Facebook page!

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

MORE PICTURES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE