city council – Page 99 – The NEN

A Just Capital? End Poverty in Edinburgh first annual report

The first annual report of how Edinburgh is progressing in its aim to end poverty by 2030 has detailed significant positive developments taking place in the Capital.

It is a year since the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, an independent group sponsored by the City of Edinburgh Council in 2018 to define the steps the city needed to take to end poverty, published its final report.

A Just Capital: Actions to End Poverty in Edinburgh concluded that poverty in Edinburgh is real and damaging, but it is not inevitable and set seven calls to action needed to end poverty within a decade.

In the first 12 months following publication of that call to action, the work of the Council and partners has involved building a strong foundation for the long-term actions needed to change ways of working and prevent poverty in Edinburgh, as well as providing immediate improvement and upscaling of support for people experiencing poverty in the city.

The latest data on poverty rates in the city show that an estimated 78,900 people in Edinburgh were living in relative poverty after housing costs in the period to 2020, including 16,100 children. Most commentators project a risk of significant rising poverty across the UK during the next 12 months, driven by rising living costs, energy costs, slow wage growth and benefits changes.

In response to this challenge, the commitment to end poverty in Scotland’s Capital is now one of three strategic priorities embedded in the new Council Business Plan approved earlier in the year.

The plan outlines actions to ensure that the Council is on track to end poverty by 2030 by meeting targets set by the Commission and deliver the End Poverty Plan 2030.

This first annual progress report was discussed by Councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee yesterday (Tuesday 5 October) with the debate taking place during the nationwide Challenge Poverty Week.

The report outlines key actions delivered in 2021 for providing immediate crisis support to people in need, expanding income maximisation services, promoting fair work, improving access to employability support, helping those at risk of homelessness and improving prospects, opportunities, health and wellbeing.

Specific outcomes described in the report include:

Over 44,000 crisis and community care grants delivered in the past year (more than double the previous year) alongside 8,800 Free School Meal payments and 8,300 School Uniform Grant payments (a 50% increase in take up). In addition, led by the third sector, partners across the city provided 45,864 meals as food parcels and 3,654 pre-prepared meals during the first half of 2021 alone for people in food crisis
Investment in advice and income maximisation services across the city. Council and third sector work in this area has secured a total of £22m of financial gains for Edinburgh citizens through improved access to entitlements and reduced costs
Expansion of the successful the Discover! programme to help 671 families and 1,346 children with support to reduce and prevent food and financial insecurity, doubling the number of families supported this year
Delivering £41.5m of Council investment in building new homes and through partnership working, reducing the number of people sleeping rough in Edinburgh to 10 or less on any given night, down from 80-120 before the pandemic
Supporting 3,800 people in Edinburgh through Council funded employability programmes
Committing to pay all Council staff the Scottish Local Government Living Wage, changing the pay structure so that 4,400 employees in grades 1 to 3 received a pay uplift

Leading a new action group of employers committed to making Edinburgh a Living Wage City, with a goal to encourage 500 new living wage accredited employers in the city in the next five years.

These outcomes have been given additional financial support thanks to an extra budget investment of over £2.5m earlier in the Spring directly focused on meeting the Edinburgh Poverty Commission actions.

Last year’s report marked the end of the work of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and the start of a movement that needs to take root to create an Edinburgh without poverty.

As a legacy, Commissioners helped to develop End Poverty Edinburgh – a new independent group of residents with first-hand experience of living on a low income and their allies who want to be part of shaping the solutions. With the support of the Poverty Alliance, End Poverty Edinburgh has been meeting regularly throughout 2021 and aim to raise awareness of poverty in Edinburgh, influence decision-making and hold the city to account.

Councillor Cammy Day, Depute Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Whilst there has been positive progress made in the first year since the Commission’s call to action no one is underestimating the scale of the challenge we face.

“Tackling poverty is one of our key priorities as a Council and our 2030 target is ambitious but one I’m convinced can be achieved.

“There’s no doubting the enormous impact the pandemic has had on families in this city especially those on the lowest incomes. However our work to limit this impact has seen 44,000 crisis and community care grants issued, over 8,000 free school meal payments and an action group of employers set up to make Edinburgh a living wage city to help lift 40,000 city workers out of low pay.

“We are one year into a long and difficult journey, but if all our partners, communities and residents work together, along with support from the UK and Scottish Governments, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a real difference to those most in need.”

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “As a city, we’re trying to eradicate poverty by the end of the decade and we’re the first local authority in the UK to set such a target. Tackling poverty and inequality in our city drives the choices we are making as a Council such as our new business plan which has ending poverty by 2030 as one of its three core priorities.

“Additional investment is also required and this Spring we agreed a budget package of £2.5m specifically targeted at poverty. This is expanding our money advice and income maximisation services, providing new resources to help those at risk of homelessness, increasing our Discover! programme to help families reduce and prevent food and financial insecurity and the relaunch of the Edinburgh Guarantee to help people of all ages into work or learning. Last year we spent or administered over £100m in core anti-poverty measures to support our citizens.”

“We have made an encouraging start but these are just the first steps and it’s critical the positive work of the past year continues. This isn’t something the Council can achieve in isolation, however, and we need a Team Edinburgh effort and Governments supporting our efforts through housing and welfare policies if we’re going to succeed in meeting the call to action the Commission has set for us all to end poverty in Edinburgh.”

Business Gateway Edinburgh strengthens its recovery support with new programme

More resource is being put into supporting local business leaders through a new Growth Recovery Programme as the Capital’s business community looks to survive and thrive following the past 18 months.

As challenges continue to arise from the pandemic as well as UK’s exit from the European Union, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Business Gateway service has developed a programme designed to assist small business owners and/or directors to develop their skills, knowledge, and confidence to recover and grow their businesses.

Part funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the six-session, small group programme will take place virtually and cover a variety of topics including ‘Redefining Your Business Model’, ‘Developing as a Business Leader’ and ‘Financing Growth’.

Starting on Wednesday 27 October and running until Wednesday 1 December, participants will be able to gain new knowledge and tools they need to support their businesses within the evolving business landscape.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Fair Work Convener, said: “Businesses have had to innovate and diversify in order to survive in what has been an extremely difficult time for everyone. Many still face challenges they have to navigate, but there are opportunities too. Business Gateway Edinburgh has developed this new programme to help equip people with up-to-date knowledge, expertise and advice.

“We hope to be able to support a wide range of businesses from different sectors across the city. We’ve found that many of the business leaders involved in these programmes often go on to build their own networks and build valuable relationships while benefiting from peer-to-peer support.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Fair Work Vice Convener, said: “This new programme adds to the variety of initiatives already offered by Business Gateway Edinburgh, including Women in Business and Gateway to Investment, while supplementing the ongoing one-to-one and on-call support offered by the team.

“We are committed to helping businesses through what continues to be a very challenging time. Through the Council’s wider services we have extended outdoor seating arrangements for the hospitality sector, facilitated grant funding, provided rent assistance to our business tenants, and through the Forever Edinburgh campaign, we continue to inspire people to visit and drive footfall in and around the city.”

To apply please speak to your Business Gateway Adviser for an application form or email: bglothian@bgateway.com

‘Overwhelming support’ for Edinburgh’s Climate Strategy aims

Overwhelming support has been shown across Edinburgh for a net zero, climate resilient capital, according to initial findings from the public consultation on the draft 2030 Climate Strategy.

More than 900 residents and stakeholders shared their views on the draft strategy over the 12-week summer consultation, through a series of online workshops and engagement sessions and the Council’s online survey.

And, as well as supporting the strategy’s aims and vision, citizens broadly welcomed the strategy’s 52 actions – on activities which ranged from engaging and empowering people to tackle climate change to investing in businesses and skills in the capital.

The early findings reveal that respondents not only support what the draft strategy aims to do, but how it proposes to take action and deliver on the city’s goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

They also show that overall, people felt the Council had received permission to act on climate change and needed to move discussions on climate from ‘whether the city should act’ to ‘how we act together.’

In response to the public feedback, seven areas of work identified as having the most impact on Edinburgh’s emissions are now being proposed. These include:

Creating a partnership of financial investment and delivery organisations to develop a business case for how all Edinburgh’s citizens will be able to affordably retrofit their homes in partnership with the Scottish Futures Trust.
Developing an Edinburgh Community Climate Forum to help empower citizens, encourage behaviour change and community activism on climate action. It will be sponsored by the Council and delivered independently by EVOC and Our Future Edinburgh.
Bringing forward business case proposals for community energy generation schemes across the city, with Energy for Edinburgh.
Working with Lothian Buses to decarbonise their bus fleet by 2023 and developing a plan for shared public service charging hubs.
Developing a costed climate change risk assessment for the city and a new city adaptation plan by 2022/23, alongside a regional approach.
Establishing a business led Economic Transition Forum and also a new Business for Good programme through Edinburgh CAN B to provide practical support and training for businesses across the city to transition to net zero.
Developing a citywide programme/pipeline of green investment proposals with a Climate Strategy Investment Programme Board.

Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council Councillor Adam McVey said: “Public and stakeholder response to our draft Climate Strategy has been fantastic and has thoughtfully reflected the complex and systemic nature of climate change.

“Feedback from residents and groups has highlighted the need to give people more information and support on how to make changes to their everyday lives which will support Edinburgh’s climate target, which is why I’m delighted to announce the council will sponsor the establishment of a Community Climate Forum for the city.

“The Forum will help to provide a vital point of interaction and information for and with communities on all aspects of climate action. Meanwhile, city partner responses have been really detailed and positive, with all partners committing to working together in key areas of climate action.

“Many have also committed both resources and in-kind activity as part of the implementation plan and will ensure the Council and our partners will keep up momentum in delivering a net zero, climate ready city by 2030.”

Depute leader Councillor Cammy Day added: “The 2030 Climate Strategy is for the whole of Edinburgh and whilst the Council needs to take a leading role, the purpose of the strategy is to facilitate and unlock collaboration and collective action at speed and scale to deliver a net zero city.

“The pandemic had shown people how quickly and effectively the Council and partners can act on emergency issues. We must now listen to feedback from the consultation and go faster and further in our strategy actions to reflect the climate emergency and meet Edinburgh’s deadline of net zero emissions by 2030.”

The final draft of the 2030 Climate Strategy will be supported by an implementation plan detailing deliverables, milestones, timescales, resources, and approach to measuring outcomes and impact. This will be brought to Committee alongside the final draft of the strategy on 30 November 2021.

Still two weeks left to make your mark in Green Pencil Award 2021

Edinburgh libraries’ successful environmentally themed creative writing competition, open to all P4 – P7 aged children in Edinburgh and, once again, to young people in S1-3 runs until 15 October 2021.

There has been a lot of attention recently regarding climate change and its effects on the natural environment. In November 2021 the Unite Nations will host COP26 in Glasgow.

We challenge you to think, if you were an animal, a bird, a tree, a plant or even a mountain or river in Scotland, what would be your story about climate change.

Or perhaps …

You wish to tell us what experiences you are going through, if we don’t tackle climate change, what does the future look like in 2030.

Entries could be poetry, prose or story, all we asked was that the writing is the author’s own work and was no longer than one side of A4 paper.

Hear last year’s winning entries on Tales of One City.

Waterfront “will lead the way”

An outline business case to create a £1.3bn well-connected, sustainable new coastal town at Granton Waterfront will be considered at the Policy and Sustainability Committee next week.

If approved, a final business case for a first phase of regeneration will be developed over the next 18 months using the skills and experience of a development partner, whilst also progressing plans for a low carbon heat network solution.

Over the next 15 years the regeneration of Granton Waterfront will deliver around 3,500 net zero carbon homes, a primary school, health centre, commercial and cultural space, sustainable transport provision and a new coastal park.

Progress has already been made in the area, including accelerating the delivery of around 661 Council-led homes alongside the provision of key amenities and enhanced connectivity.

There has also been positive progress in growing a cultural and arts cluster in Granton Waterfront.

Recent announcements include the start of works to refurbish the Granton Station building into a creative work space with a lease being given to leading Scottish arts Charity Wasps, and arts charity Edinburgh Palette has been granted a lease in our vacant industrial until on West Shore Road.

The industrial unit was recently used for a successful music, visual arts and cultural festival by the Hidden Door on a temporary basis.

The iconic Granton Gasholder is now also illuminated every night for a period of up to two years, a beacon of light for the project following a joint initiative with Edinburgh College.

Council leader, Adam McVey, said: “This business case gives us a blueprint to go forward and clearly demonstrates our commitment to tackling climate change as we start to gear up for COP26 next month.

“Granton Waterfront is one of the seven strategic development sites in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region deal and as one of the most environmentally friendly areas under development in Scotland is expected to lead the way in sustainable development in the city as part of Edinburgh’s commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030.

Depute leader and lead on the Granton Waterfront project, Cammy Day, said: “This development is making a large contribution to Edinburgh’s housing needs and our proposed City Plan 2030 being considered by councillors on the Planning Committee this week.

“Granton Waterfront will lead the way in the city providing much-needed sustainable housing following the 20 minute neighbourhood approach with shops, healthcare, cultural and leisure and education facilities all nearby.

“It will be well connected to the rest of Edinburgh and beyond with new sustainable travel links and active travel routes running through the site adhering to the principles of sustainable travel in our City Mobility Plan.”

Nominations open for the Wall of Honour at new Meadowbank

The search has begun for names for the Wall of Honour at the new Meadowbank Sports Centre as nominations opened today (Thursday 30 September).

A space within the atrium in the new building has been reserved to honour members of the public who have made significant contributions to Meadowbank’s past and legacy as a sport venue and community facility.

Edinburgh’s new Meadowbank will be one of the country’s top community sports centres when it opens and will feature some of the most state-of-the-art fitness facilities in the United Kingdom. The Centre is on track to open to the public before the end of the year with the Wall of Honour being added in the New Year.

Nominations must have a connection with Meadowbank and can be made in four categories:

Competitive Achievements – individuals who have medalled at a major senior championship within their sport. This includes Commonwealth, European, World or Olympic level events.
Community Service – individuals who have made significant contributions to sports, clubs and the Meadowbank community in a voluntary capacity.
Professional Service –individuals who were employed to work at Meadowbank Sports Centre for a significant period and contributed to the operation and development of the venue as a major training, sports, events, health and wellbeing, physical activity and community destination.
Special Contribution – individuals who do not meet elements of the above criteria but you feel are an outstanding individual who should be recognised on the Wall of Honour.

Communities, teams and individuals across Edinburgh have eight weeks to submit nominations for the Wall before the deadline of Friday 26 November. Final decisions will then be made by a selection panel.

Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As we prepare to open the brand new Meadowbank Sports Centre this is a wonderful way for the Capital’s citizens to pay a lasting tribute to the Meadowbank legacy and to outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on sport in the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh.

“Please help us celebrate the people of Edinburgh’s achievements by proposing a nominee now.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Meadowbank has been an important part of Scotland’s sporting history for many years and the new development will build on this legacy.

“The Wall of Honour is an excellent opportunity to highlight what has gone before and will be added to over the years as the new sports centre takes its place as an important venue for Edinburgh’s sporting future.

“We want to hear from the people of Edinburgh on who has inspired them over the years and deserves to be recognised and celebrated for years to come.”

Nominations can be made online through the Council’s Consultation Hub and must be received no later than Friday 26 November 2021.

‘Immensely honoured’ Alexander McCall Smith receives Edinburgh Award

Internationally-acclaimed Edinburgh author Alexander McCall Smith CBE was presented with the prestigious Edinburgh Award 2020 in a ceremony at the City Chambers last night [Tues 28 September].

The coveted annual award honours an outstanding individual who has made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh.

Surrounded by family, friends and invited guests, Mr McCall Smith received an engraved Loving Cup from Lord Provost Frank Ross and was was reunited with a set of his handprints preserved in stone in the City Chambers quadrangle.

The Edinburgh Award, first presented to fellow city author Ian Rankin in 2007, celebrates Mr McCall Smith’s bestselling writing, legal career and academic work.

Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh, Mr McCall Smith became a hugely successful novelist through his The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Sunday Philosophy Club and 44 Scotland Street book series, the latter of which is set in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town.

He is now one of the world’s best-loved writers for both adults and children and his books are published in 47 languages.

Mr McCall Smith is the 14th person to receive the award, succeeding Ann Budge (2019) and fellow writers Ian Rankin OBE (2007) and JK Rowling OBE (2008), as well as fellow academics Professor Peter Higgs (2011) and Sir Timothy O’Shea (2017).

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “It’s an honour and a pleasure to present one of the Capital’s most prestigious accolades, the Edinburgh Award, to Alexander McCall Smith.

“His bestselling novels continue to draw positive, worldwide attention to the city and I’m delighted that fans of his work can now enjoy seeing his handprints immortalised in stone on our very own Edinburgh Award ‘walk of fame’.

Alexander McCall Smith said: “I am immensely honoured by this award and by the kindness of the city in conferring it on me.

“I have spent my entire adult life in this city and would not wish to live elsewhere. It is a wonderful city in every respect and I am so proud to be one of its citizens.”

As part of the Edinburgh Award ceremony, Alan Spence, the Edinburgh Makar, read a specially commissioned work celebrating Alexander McCall Smith.

Local High Schools to take part in nationwide Hydrogen challenge

Secondary school pupils will compete against thousands from across Scotland to build the best green-hydrogen powered Lego vehicle to highlight the role the fuel could play in tackling climate change.

More than 700 pupils from across the city will have just two hours to design, build and race a green hydrogen-fuelled vehicle of their own design as part of the nationwide Scottish Schools Hydrogen Challenge.

And over the next two weeks, competitors will be challenged to design vehicles that can travel the furthest on the zero-emission fuel, for a spot in the regional final at the Assembly Rooms on October 8^th.

The three best teams from the regionals will then take part in a grand final in Glasgow during the COP26 climate conference in November where they will be pitted against pupils from Fort William, Wick, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Stirling and Glasgow.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Engaging and empowering young people on climate change is vital as Edinburgh transitions towards net zero by 2030.

“Green hydrogen has the potential to prevent millions of tonnes from being released into the atmosphere. This competition is an excellent opportunity to engage young people ion innovating for a net zero future whilst also creating a learning environment which will drive higher levels of creativity and improve peer collaboration.”

Councillor Adam McVey, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, added: “We know that climate change is a subject which is really important to young people across our city.

“This national challenge not only provides young people with opportunities to apply learning from STEM subjects to this competition but will help to highlight the role that new technologies such as green-hydrogen play in helping to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.

“It will also provide the finalists with a unique and memorable experience of competing at COP26 during the global conference and show we can be inspired by the solutions to climate change.”

Pupils from James Gillespie’s High School, Broughton High School, The Royal High School, Leith Academy, Liberton High School, St Augustine’s High School, Portobello High School and Drummond High School will all take part in the national challenge which is run in partnership with Arcola Energy, ITM Power and ScottishPower.

Grants for tenants in rent arrears

£10m to help people worst affected by pandemic to avoid eviction

Councils have been given £10 million to provide grants to tenants who have fallen behind on their rent as a result of the pandemic and are at risk of eviction.

The grants will help tenants who are struggling financially as a direct result of the pandemic, allowing them to reduce or pay off their rent arrears. They will be available to tenants in both the private and social rented sectors.

This is part of a package of measures available to local authorities to prevent homelessness, alongside Discretionary Housing Payments and advice on maximising income. The grants also come on top of the Scottish Government’s £10 million Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “We have been doing all we can to support tenants who are struggling as a result of the pandemic, and this latest funding takes our total housing support to almost £39 million.

“These grants will support tenants and landlords who are willing to work together to address rent arrears and agree a repayment plan to ensure the tenant is able to avoid eviction.

“Councils have substantial experience in supporting people who have fallen behind on their rent, and are therefore well placed to work with both tenants and landlords in making use of this grant fund. Anyone who has been financially impacted by the pandemic and needs help to avoid eviction should contact their local authority housing department to discuss their circumstances.”

Councillor Kelly Parry, COSLA Community Wellbeing spokesperson, said: “We are working closely with the Scottish Government to support tenants through the grant fund.

“The pandemic has resulted in some facing a significant loss of income which has resulted in a proportion of these developing rent arrears. The fund is limited and therefore will be targeted at those most at risk of eviction, but will allow local authorities, tenants and landlords to work together to stay in their homes and prevent homelessness.

“Councils have a lead role in supporting a fair and inclusive recovery. Enabling people to sustain their tenancies helps maintain their important community connections.”

Nearly £1.5million will be allocated to Edinburgh to help those in social and private tenancies at risk of becoming homeless.

This share of the Scottish Government’s new £10m Tenant Hardship Grant Fund will further aid the City of Edinburgh Council in preventing evictions as a result of COVID-19 related rent arrears.

The aim of the fund is to provide an additional tool for the Council to help save tenancies, create sustainable housing solutions for individuals and prevent homelessness, alongside its other initiatives in place.

This includes the Council’s Private Rented Service (PRS) Team, which looks to help private renters keep their existing tenancy or to move to either a new private or mid-market rent secure tenancy, and the ‘multi-disciplinary response’ team which helps Council tenants who are struggling to maintain their tenancy or falling into rent arrears.

In addition Edinburgh Help to Rent, which is a service the Council contracts Crisis to deliver, provides rent deposit guarantee bonds.

Under Scottish Government guidelines, local authorities have to allocate the Tenant Hardship Grant Fund by the end of this financial year (March 2022). The Council is currently assessing eligibility criteria in order to support those most at risk.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said: “This money from the Scottish Government comes at a critical time. Between the cut in Universal Credit, the national insurance increase, the end of furlough, rocketing household fuel bills due to the energy crisis, and now the fuel crisis – households are being hit hard.

“We will use this money to help people who have fallen into rent arrears during the pandemic, to help prevent evictions, homelessness and the burden of debt being placed on vulnerable households. This is a lifeline that will help people to stay in their own homes.

“Our Private Rented Sector Team has stopped 427 households from becoming homeless in the last 18 months, while our multi-disciplinary response team is successfully supporting our council tenants who’ve fallen into arrears. This funding from the Scottish Government means we can do even more to prevent families and households becoming homeless.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said: “The work being done by the Council and in collaboration with partner organisations like Crisis has already made a big difference to preventing people from becoming homeless. But there is still more that needs to be done with around 6,000 people currently homeless in our Capital.

“As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, it could become even more difficult to find suitable accommodation for everybody who needs it. So the work of our prevention teams will be more important than ever.

“We will be working to identify those most at risk without delay because many people are already in financial difficulty and it’s likely to get worse as winter weather and rising energy prices put more strain on household budgets.”

Nina Ballantyne, Citizens Advice Scotland Social Justice spokesperson, said: “The Citizens Advice network saw a real spike in demand for housing-related advice during the pandemic. Our analysis suggests almost 300,000 people in Scotland missed a housing payment last year because they ran out of money before pay day.

“We called for more support for tenants and are delighted to see this fund launch – we’d now encourage people to seek advice on what support is right for them and make use of all the options available.”

Local advice is available from Granton Information Centre. Telephone 0131 552 0458, 0131 551 2459 or email info@gic.org.uk

Proposed City Plan 2030 sets out sustainable future direction of development in Edinburgh

The proposed City Plan 2030 will address

– Climate change
– Affordability
– Providing more homes
– Providing more jobs
– How people move aroundge

The proposal is a ‘comprehensive and bold plan’ to make sure future development in Edinburgh is sustainable, meets the needs of Edinburgh’s growing population and communities and helps the city achieve its Net Zero 2030 ambition.

The report on the proposed City Plan 2030 will be considered by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee next Wednesday (29 September).

This proposed plan for the next ten years sets out how areas of the city will be linked together building on existing transport networks as well as making full use of education and healthcare facilities already embedded in communities across the Capital. Resetting the direction of development to bring about a joined-up city rather than spreading outwards also provides a positive and sustainable step for future decades to come.

Edinburgh’s population is rising, and people are making huge changes in the way they live their lives due to the global climate emergency and the current health pandemic.

This is how the plan proposes to address these challenges:

Future development would be managed through the preferred approach set out in the ‘Choices for City Plan 2030’ document, which went through a major consultation exercise with Edinburgh residents and stakeholders.
The proposed plan will support the Scottish Government’s 20-minute walkable neighbourhood plans as well as directing development to and maximising the use of brownfield rather than greenfield land.
In the west a new mixed-use neighbourhood is to be created, well served by existing infrastructure, with the tram line running through as well as an adjacent station, in an area previously designated largely for business development in the 2016 plan.
New neighbourhoods on brownfield land at the Forth Waterfront will also be taken forward.
Land has also been designated for new developments at Seafield, Redford Barracks, Astley Ainslie, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Liberton Hospital, Bonnington, Fettes and other major sites across the city.

The draft plan also sets out how the Council will deliver land to meet Edinburgh’s housing needs over the next decade, securing a minimum contribution of 35% affordable housing from any new development as well as policies to help manage the number of short term lets (STLs) operating in the city.

In addition to the plan, a consultation is running separately at the moment asking for views on ‘the whole of Edinburgh becoming a ‘STL control area’. If agreed by the Council and the Scottish Government, it would mean all residential properties in Edinburgh, which are not an owner’s principal home, being let as STLs in their totality would require approval of a ‘change of use’ to operate them.

Councillor Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: “This proposed development plan can recalibrate how development happens in this city, positively shaping how our Capital grows and changes over the next 10 years and beyond.

“Rather than growing forever outwards, the proposed plan focuses on developing new communities on brownfield land which mix living, working and leisure uses. These locations utilise and add to already existing infrastructure. This plan is about us as a city collectively making the right decisions now so that our residents can make reasonable and informed choices about how and where they live and how they get around in the future.

“City Plan 2030 has been developed taking on board the views of residents, businesses, and other stakeholders from across the city to help us meet our core priorities for Edinburgh: making Edinburgh a sustainable city, which supports everyone’s wellbeing and enables our residents to access homes they can afford.

“The plan also facilitates travel options and networks so that residents won’t have to own a car to move around, while having every opportunity to share in their city’s success.

“Our proposal of mixed-use communities in the plan aligns to Scottish Government’s 20-minute neighbourhood vision, which is especially relevant now as the global pandemic continues to make massive changes to the way people live their lives. This includes how we all use and appreciate green spaces with the health and well-being benefits they bring.

“Community resilience also includes easy access to facilities and neighbourhoods need a mixture of services within easy reach such as shops, health and education, as well as the potential to find a job near where you live.

“We also need to rethink how we accommodate our growing population and I believe that our emphasis on prioritising brownfield land and making the best use of the limited space we have is the right approach.

In the west a new neighbourhood with a mix of uses within easy walking distance is to be created. This is also well served by existing infrastructure, with the tram running through the community as well as a mainline station. This area was previously designated largely for business development in the 2016 plan.

“Other significant sites across the city will all require masterplans ensuring that in each case the whole is much more than the sum of the parts, better meeting the needs of new and existing communities.

“Going forward we need to work with developers asking them to rise to the challenges of rapid climate change and finite resources. Developers need to think more carefully about location, using the land we have available effectively, with sustainable design. This proposed plan better connects existing communities through development of underused brownfield land.

“We need to protect Edinburgh’s beautiful green setting from the Pentlands to the Forth, increase biodiversity, physical and mental wellbeing, reduce flooding and other climate impacts, and improve air quality.

“Developers will need to make sure that one third of their houses in residential developments are affordable. We will also continue the city’s own programme to build affordable housing.

“Edinburgh currently has almost a third of all STLs in Scotland, policies included in the plan help us to take further action and manage these. This quantity of commercial use puts pressure on house prices and rents and takes much needed houses out of supply as well as causing issues such as anti-social behaviour, leaving hollowed out communities.

“Last year, we set out bold preferred options in ‘Choices for City Plan 2030’, alongside other viable alternatives which were considered during the public consultation. This had a massive response with around 1,800 contributions. I’d like to thank everyone again who submitted their views.

“We’ve listened carefully to the feedback provided and through regular meetings working with colleagues across all political parties throughout this process, I’m hopeful through this proposed plan we can agree on a positive way forward for Edinburgh at committee next week.

Councillor Maureen Child, Planning Vice-Convener, said: “To meet our ambitious climate change target and become a carbon neutral city by 2030, as the city continues to grow, we must develop differently in the future and our proposed plan sets out how all houses and other buildings will need be much more energy efficient.

“We’re already committed to building 20,000 affordable and low-cost homes by 2027 but the city desperately needs more housing. That’s why our proposals put particular emphasis on land for housing and affordable homes.

“We’ll also make sure that we protect people’s homes by making sure appropriate flood defences are in place for all new developments as we’re fully aware of the risk of flooding and the other impacts of climate change.

“Our rising population and the climate emergency were already posing huge challenges for us as a Council and the current health pandemic has greatly accelerated many changes to our lives – I believe our proposed plan takes account of these major societal transformations we’re currently experiencing.

“Connectivity is of course central to our success and our other aim is to guide development towards areas where facilities such as schools and healthcare centres already exist. Where these need to be developed we’ll listen to the needs of communities, taking them with us, as new neighbourhoods develop.

“Our Transport and Environment Committee has also already agreed our City Mobility Plan designed to improve sustainable transport over the next decade.”

Councillors on the Planning Committee will consider the proposed City Plan 2030 next Wednesday (29 September) before final representations are sought.

These will be considered by the Council before it is submitted to the Scottish Government for Examination. The Council can then consider adopting the plan to shape how the city develops over the next 10 years.

You can watch the webcast for the Planning Committee next week here.