consultation – Page 39 – The NEN

Consultation launched on banning common single-use plastic items

Plans to ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items in Scotland, including plastic cutlery and plastic straws, have been published for consultation.

The Scottish Government is seeking views on the introduction of new legislation to restrict the sale or commercial supply of plastic plates, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, polystyrene food and drink containers, plastic balloon sticks and products made from oxo-degradable plastics.

These items are the ones most commonly found washed up on European beaches and were identified in the EU Single Plastics Directive as contributing the majority share of litter found in the marine environment.

Millions are used in Scotland each year, including an estimated 300 million plastic straws, 276 million pieces of plastic cutlery, 50 million plastic plates and 66 million polystyrene food containers.

Restrictions on the sale or commercial supply of these single use plastic products would support efforts to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture, reduce problematic litter and promote the use of more environmentally-friendly alternatives.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “There is no longer any doubt that plastic waste is having a hugely damaging impact on our oceans, rivers and land ecosystems.

“We must act now to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and drive forward a move towards more sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives.

“Failure to do so is a dereliction of our duty to our children, who will inherit a natural world polluted by the plastics we have thrown away for the sake of convenience.

“This government is committed to tackling this problem. We were the first country in the UK to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plans are well underway for a Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland.

“The proposals published today will take us further – keeping pace with the environmental standards of our European partners and re-affirming our position as a world-leader in the circular economy.

“However, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that the introduction of these measures is carefully considered. It is why we are keen to hear a range of views and I would encourage any individual, business or organisation with an interest to respond to the consultation.”

It is expected that any legislation would be introduced in 2021. The consultation will also seek views on the introduction of a ban on the non-commercial supply and manufacture of the single-use plastic items outlined in the consultation.

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Plastic is by far the most commonly used material in today’s single-use culture. There are clear benefits in use, of flexibility and durability, but plastic also causes significant damage when it leaks into our natural environment, including our rivers, lochs and seas.

“The consultation offers an opportunity to protect wildlife and prevent the heart-breaking scenes we see all too often in TV documentaries like Blue Planet 2. We hope people will also take this opportunity to adopt more sustainable solutions, such as reusable alternatives, to these single-use items.”

View the consultation on Citizen Space. The consultation will be open for 12 weeks and close on 04 January 2021 .

The full list of products being considered for market restrictions are:

Single-use plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks)
Single-use plastic plates (plates, trays/platters, bowls)
Single-use plastic straws
Single-use plastic beverage stirrers
Single-use plastic balloon sticks
Single-use food containers made of expanded polystyrene
Single-use cups and other beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, including their covers and lids
All oxo-degradable products. This type of plastic (due to additives contained in it) contributes to micro-plastic pollution in the environment, is not compostable and negatively affects the recycling of conventional plastic.

Restricting these items would bring Scotland in line with Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904.

Green light for a greener Meadowbank

Plans to transform Meadowbank into one of Edinburgh’s greenest neighbourhoods were approved by councillors last week.

Shaped in response to views shared by local residents – who were keen to see more quality greenspace, places for play and better-connected walking and cycle routes brought to the area – the masterplan for Council-owned land at Meadowbank was approved by the Development Management Sub Committee on Wednesday.

The £100m project is now expected to become the first development of its size in Edinburgh to promote the Council’s net zero carbon by 2030 goals by creating a low-car, low-carbon community and energy efficient new homes.

The sustainable mixed-use development will also create jobs and a significant economic boost by regenerating a five-hectare area next to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre – which is already set to become one of the greenest and most accessible centres for community sport in the country when it opens next year.

Space for a new GP surgery and community and commercial uses, the protection of existing trees and planting of saplings plus new rain gardens also feature in landscaping designs, which aim to pay tribute to the area’s sporting and industrial heritage.

With support from Nature Scot and the Scottish Government, the Masterplan has been awarded Building with Nature accreditation, setting the standard for high-quality low carbon features, and the Council has undertaken studies on the option for ‘green roofs’. The designs have also been endorsed by Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme, which brings specialised active travel knowledge to the project.

Councillor Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: “As a planning authority, we need make sure we protect our City’s beautiful and historic built environment, while supporting our communities to become sustainable for twenty-first century living.

“We also need to adapt our city to meet the needs of a growing population, address the increasing impact of climate change and ensure growth is responsible. These designs for Meadowbank meet these needs with plans for a truly low-carbon, low-car, energy efficient neighbourhood, featuring new affordable homes. This is a really important site for the City and I’d like to thank everyone who took time to participate in the consultation process.

“The masterplan includes homes to meet different needs, including for families. One third of the houses will be affordable, making a welcome contribution to the needs of the heroes who keep our city running every day. This masterplan, which has broad community support, offers a gold standard for new developments across the city for both the public and private sectors.”

Councillor Maureen Child, Vice Planning Convener, said: “Our aspirations for place making through our new City Plan, which we are currently drafting, are about making sure our communities continue to be great places where people want to live and visit, so feedback from the local community has been key to shaping Committee’s decision making on Meadowbank.

“I’m pleased that an open conversation has been had and that we’ve been able to agree these ambitious plans, which offer a mix of community benefits and improved facilities. It will see the community evolve into a more connected and climate conscious community, in line with our net zero carbon targets.”

Keir Bloomer, the project’s independent Sounding Board Chair, said: “The current proposals have emerged through an intensive exercise in community engagement. In addition to a number of public information sessions and consultation meetings, a Meadowbank Sounding Board was established almost two years ago.

“This group contains representatives of a wide range of local community groups and organisations, including those who were opposed to the original proposals for the site. Local councillors and others with relevant committee responsibilities are also members but they are in a minority.

“Considerable efforts have been made to ensure that the sounding board is able to express its views, regardless of whether these are favourable to the Council’s perspective or not. I was asked to chair the group as somebody who is completely independent.

“The sounding board met quite frequently until restrictions during the pandemic made this impossible. Designs for the site have been altered on a number of occasions in response to its views. As a result, the current plans are greener and more open. Housing density has been reduced and designs improved. It is intended that the sounding board will continue in existence through the development phase, acting as a strong voice for local people.”

Cathy Houston, Project Architect at Collective Architecture, said: “We are grateful for the time taken by members of the community to engage in the Meadowbank design processes.

“This is such an important site in Edinburgh’s City Centre and so it is wonderful to be at this stage with a multifaceted proposal which seeks to enrich the neighbourhood on many levels: ecologically, environmentally, socially and with a huge amount of care.

“The process undertaken with the community has ensured that the development sensitively integrates new housing, local amenities, greenspace and restored public routes east to west.”

Brenda Devlin, a local Community Councillor, said: “Using the expertise of Collective Architecture and the City of Edinburgh Council, local consultations, focus groups, workshops and public meetings were organised.

“It became obvious that the participants that attended these events were being listened to and their suggestions and ideas taken on board. The plans now being presented are a result of these consultation sessions and mostly reflect the vision of local residents, groups, organisations and businesses.

“The creation of a Sounding Board provided another opportunity for further targeted local input and a place for checks and balances to be carried out on the final plans. This eco-friendly development with a mixture of housing types, quality green spaces and community facilities makes this a very exciting development and will be an asset to our area.”

Around 600 modern energy-efficient homes – a minimum of 35% of which will be affordable – are detailed in the planning application, which is available to view as a report to Committee.

More information is available at ww.edinburgh.gov.uk/meadowbank.

Rebuilding a fairer Scotland after COVID-19

Expertise and experience wanted to help tackle poverty and inequality

Ideas are being gathered to drive a fairer recovery in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Organisations and community groups are being asked to share ideas and evidence based on their experiences of responding to the pandemic, and their engagement with people with lived experience of poverty and inequality.

Responses will help inform the work of the Scottish Government’s Advisory Board on Social Renewal, which is tasked with building on the positive policy and practice shifts seen during COVID-19 to tackle disadvantage and poverty, and advance equality and social justice.

Analysis of responses will feed into the board’s discussions, and a report on the outcomes will be published later this year.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the health, wealth and emotional wellbeing of our communities is vital to inform our response to and recovery from the pandemic. We also know particular groups have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis.

“That’s why we established the Social Renewal Advisory Board to focus on reducing poverty and disadvantage and advancing equality across a range of issues.

We now want to hear from the many organisations and community groups working on social renewal that will have adapted, changed and repurposed in light of COVID-19. There is significant learning on this to be shared and we want to capture that expertise.

“Our call for ideas and evidence will help us drive forward our ambitions on creating a fairer, more equal society and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are heard.”

The call for ideas and evidence will run until 16 October.

Find out more about how to take part here

Have your say on regulation of short-term lets

A public consultation will gather final views on proposed new legislation for the regulation of short-term lets.

The Scottish Government’s proposals include a mandatory licensing scheme to ensure that all short-term lets are safe and to address issues faced by neighbours.

The regulations, if passed by Parliament, would come into force by April 2021. These would also give councils powers to manage pressures created by the use of whole properties as short-term lets.

Welcoming the launch of the consultation, Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and affordable accommodation option, and they have contributed positively to Scotland’s tourism industry and local economies across the country.

“However, we know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of these arrangements can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in.

“The views and evidence from our previous consultation and research showed broad consensus for some form of regulation. Our proposals will allow local authorities and communities facing the most severe pressures to take action to manage those more effectively from next year.

“I believe our proposals for a licensing scheme and short-term let control areas are evidence-based and right for Scottish circumstances.

“We will be engaging with stakeholders on our detailed proposals over the next four weeks. I am confident that our proposals will allow local authorities to ensure a safe, quality experience for visitors, whilst protecting the interests of local communities.”

Read the consultation paper on the Scottish Government website.

The consultation runs until Friday 16 October.

Edinburgh urged to share views on gender inequality and body image

The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) is calling on Edinburgh residents to join the #GenerationEqual movement and have their say in its latest discussion surrounding body image.

Increased societal pressures relating to ‘body image standards’ and the rise in use of social media has had a considerable impact on body image for many women and girls of all ages.

Discrimination, developing distorted perceptions and dealing with low self-esteem, often with associated mental health consequences, are just some of the issues stemming from body image. The Advisory Council would like to hear views on body image from people of all genders and those who don’t identify to help inform its findings and shape its recommendations to the First Minister.

The NACWG was formed to drive equality for women and girls in every community across Scotland by raising the issue of gender inequality. Focusing on a new Spotlight theme on a bi-monthly basis, the Advisory Council aims to bring people together and create discussion on many issues still faced by women and girls in Scotland today. The NACWG is putting a Spotlight on body image until the end of October to explore the daily challenges and pressures of body image.

Louise Macdonald OBE, Co-Chair of the NACWG, said: “In today’s society women and girls still face huge pressures to look a certain way as they compare their appearance to others on social media, magazines and in advertisements. Poor self-confidence can be extremely damaging, and can lead to many women and girls struggling with their self-worth and place in society.

“The Advisory Council is inviting groups, organisations and networks in Edinburgh, to share their experiences, opinions and ideas around the body image Spotlight. Every bit of feedback will help advise the First Minister and drive action in creating long-lasting change for women and girls in Scotland.”

To participate in this national conversation groups, organisations and networks are encouraged to form a virtual Wee Circle to discuss these issues and share ideas on how it can be tackled.

Feedback from these Wee Circle discussions, as well as individual feedback, can be submitted online at onescotland.org/NACWG.

Alternatively, thoughts can be shared on social media using the hashtag #GenerationEqual.

SJIB and Unite the Union welcome consultation calling for regulation of electricians

The Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and Unite the Union have welcomed the launch of a consultation exercise which it is hoped will lead to the introduction of a Member’s Bill calling for regulation of electricians.

Both organisations are supporting the proposed Bill, which MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston plans to put forward following the new consultation announced last week.

The Bill by the Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands is calling for the introduction of protection of title, which would ensure that only properly qualified and experienced professionals could call themselves an electrician.

Mr Halcro Johnston said: “Poor quality work has potentially dangerous consequences and presents a risk to neighbours and a financial cost to insurers, as well as placing our emergency services unnecessarily in harm’s way.

“The proposed Bill would ensure that electricians undertaking work are qualified to do so and effectively registered. This will not only benefit the end consumer, but also the electrical industry, which depends on the trust of the wider public.

“Unfortunately, due to restrictions on parliamentary time, my Bill won’t be able to get through during the current parliamentary session. However, by doing this, we have started a process which could lead to an historic and long overdue change after the 2021 election.”

The launch of the consultation was endorsed by the SJIB, which is one of the many organisations backing a rapidly-growing campaign for recognition of electrician as a profession.

Fiona Harper, The Secretary of the SJIB, said: “This consultation is the first part of a very important journey to ensure that only those who are appropriately qualified and experienced are allowed to call themselves an electrician.

“It adds further momentum to the industry’s commitment to improve consumer safety and is another important milestone in protecting people and businesses across Scotland.

“We would like to thank Mr Halcro Johnston for his hard work in getting this important matter to this stage and we look forward to seeing its development.”

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scotland Regional Secretary, added: “This announcement is another step on the road to protecting the reputation of properly qualified electricians, both now and for the next generation.

“Ensuring that skills, qualifications and competence are properly protected will underpin the future of our industry and help raise the bar across our profession as a whole.”

However, Fiona added: “Momentum is everything, so it’s vital that regulation happens as soon as possible. Every day we spend debating is another day that the public are exposed to shoddy and sub-standard electrical work, performed by so-called electricians with no qualifications at all.”

The SJIB and Unite are among the organisations supporting the #BackTheBrick campaign spearheaded by SELECT, Scotland’s largest trade association.

The association has been pressing the Scottish Government for regulation of electricians and has received significant support from MPs, MSPs and major organisations. In May, Liberal-Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton and SNP MP Alan Brown added their names to the SELECT Wall of Support, following in the footsteps of the 32 MSPs who vowed to support the campaign in November 2019.

The issue has already been debated in the Scottish Parliament, with an Electricians Working Group convened to explore the challenges of ensuring the safety of electrical installations and protecting consumers.

The consultation can be responded to here and is open until Tuesday 10 November 2020.

MSPs seeks views on financial impact of Covid-19 on human rights budgets

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on future public spending decisions to protect equalities and human rights in Scotland is to be considered by a Holyrood Committee.

The Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights (EHRi) Committee has issued a call for views on the financial implications arising from Covid-19, including the impact on funding of third sector organisations which support people to be treated equally and to access their rights.

MSPs will focus on how inequalities highlighted by the public health emergency and the response to the crisis can be addressed in Scotland’s economic recovery.

The Committee also seeks views on what more can be done to ensure equalities and human rights are central to Scottish Government budget decisions.

Committee Convener, Ruth Maguire MSP, said: “As this committee’s on-going inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on equalities and human rights has shown, it is some of society’s most vulnerable groups who have experienced disproportionately negative effects as a result of the virus and as a consequence of the lockdown measures imposed.

“Covid-19 has exacerbated existing inequalities in Scotland, but it has also shown that positive outcomes can be achieved with targeted funding to support individuals and particular groups.

“Now that we are moving out of the crisis and restarting the economy, we want to hear how the pandemic has affected funding to support people to access their rights and ensure they are treated equally.

“We also want to explore how the Scottish Government considers equalities and human rights when it makes budget decisions. We want to know what actions should be taken and what data collected to make this happen more effectively, to address the unequal impact of Covid-19 on specific groups and tackle long-standing health and social inequalities in Scotland.”

The closing date for responses to the call for views is Friday 18 September 2020.

The Committee is are looking for information about the following questions:

1. Last year we were successful in getting the Scottish Government to commit to increasing the Equalities and Human Rights allocation to £30.2m. What is this extra money being used for and is it enough?

2. During last year’s budget scrutiny, we found that spending decisions were sometimes being made without due consideration to equality impact assessments. With unprecedented levels of grants being provided to the private and third sectors over the past six months in response to COVID 19, how confident is the third sector and other stakeholders that money is being committed only after due consideration is given to equality impacts?

3. In the Scottish Government’s response to the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, the Scottish Government has committed (p.69-70) to “recognise the necessity of embedding an Equalities and Human Rights approach across our policy thinking and development for economic recovery and renewal.” It has listed what it’s done so far to help meet this commitment and what it intends to do in the near future. What more should be done and how can the 2021-22 budget contribute?

4. Any other relevant comments?

‘Fantastic’ response to Council’s Choices consultation

A report which sets out 1,800 responses to the public consultation on ‘Choices for City Plan 2030’ has been published the Council.

This figure compares to 435 responses received for the main issues report to the current Local Development Plan. Social media statistics show that information about Choices for City Plan 2030 reached over a million people, with over 24,000 engagements on our posts.

A public consultation began on 31 January and responses were accepted until 30 April. Residents and other interested groups were given an additional four weeks due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic to give their views.

Next week councillors on the virtual Planning Committee will discuss the 1,800 responses to the public consultation, as well as the next steps towards City Plan 2030.

A revised timetable for the Development Plan Scheme for City Plan 2030 including the proposed plan, the period of representation, examination and future adoption of the Plan will also be considered.

Cllr Neil Gardiner, Convener of the Planning Committee, said: “When we set out to consult on ‘Choices’ none of us could have known how the world was about to change and as some coronavirus lockdown restrictions and physical distancing measures remain in place, none of us can predict exactly how Edinburgh and the rest of the world will emerge from this global pandemic.

“We are all adapting to a ‘new normal’ and all of our planning must take account of the changes we are seeing in the way people are living their lives. This includes how we all use and appreciate green spaces with the health and well-being benefits they bring to communities. Community resilience also includes easy access to facilities. Connectivity is therefore very important, with neighbourhoods containing a mixture of services within in easy reach.

“It is fantastic that we’ve had such a great response to our consultation and I’d like to thank everyone who gave us their views. Now more than ever we must listen closely to what our residents, businesses and other stakeholders have told us to help us develop a plan to allow our city to grow and change to meet future needs.

“City Plan 2030 is about us making the right choices 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.

“Edinburgh is a beautiful green, cultural and historic city which has benefitted from a thriving economy but, like many cities, we have increasing levels of poverty and health inequalities in our communities, rising housing costs and in some areas, traffic congestion and poor air quality.

“We also need to adapt our city to meet the needs of an aging population, address the increasing impact of climate change and make sure growth is sustainable. This must all now be addressed in the context of the changes we are seeing as a result of the impact of Covid-19 and making sure we have resilient communities.”

Vice Convener, Cllr Maureen Child, added: “We’re embarking on one of the most significant periods of transformation in a generation which has just become a lot more intense due to the coronavirus pandemic, and we need to rethink the way we use our buildings and expand to accommodate our growing population.

“We’re already committed to building 20,000 affordable and low-cost homes by 2027 but the city needs more housing, with particular emphasis on affordable homes.

“We must make sure we meet our ambitious climate change targets and all houses and other buildings will need to be much more energy efficient in the future. We’ll also work with our partners in the industry to make sure we make the best use of the limited space we have and, going forward, we’ll be asking developers to think more carefully about location, density and design.

“Choices for City Plan 2030 set out bold options for the public to consider and comment on about how we manage future development so Edinburgh can adapt and flourish during a time of major change. This is how Edinburgh could be in a decade’s time if it responds fully to the challenges of a rising population and the coronavirus and climate emergencies and in the manner set out in a radical plan for the future.”

The wide-ranging document set out options for how to the make best use of land for future development. It also addressed how we could tackle short term lets through new planning policies, in addition to the new regulatory powers announced earlier this year by the Scottish Government following Edinburgh’s campaign to seek national legislation.

Views were also sought on planning for and building more affordable housing, managing the growth of student housing, and whether all new buildings and conversions should meet the highest zero carbon standards to help Edinburgh meet its ambitious target of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030.

In each section, the Council gave its preferred option for development as well as other alternatives.

‘Choices for City Plan 2030’ links closely with the Council’s ambitious draft City Mobility Plan, designed to improve sustainable transport over the next decade.

The proposed City Plan 2030 will be considered by the Planning Committee in December after which it will be published for representation and then formally examined by the Scottish Government before we can consider adopting it.

Community Payback Orders – Tell us your views

Edinburgh residents are being asked to share their views on a scheme that requires people who have committed offences to carry out unpaid work in the community as part of their sentence.

Community Payback Orders can be imposed on people who have committed offences by the courts as an alternative to a short term prison sentence, and can last between six months and three years. They give those involved the chance to address their behaviour and also to repay communities by carrying out unpaid work.

The Council administers the scheme in the city and is seeking the views of the public on people who have committed offences working in communities and the effectiveness of community payback as a way to reduce re-offending.

Examples of unpaid work carried out by the scheme include:

repairing and reinstating headstones in local cemeteries
developing and maintaining children’s play areas
recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture

As well as using the questionnaire to comment on the community payback scheme, participants can also recommend groups, residents, organisations or projects that may benefit from unpaid work through the online suggestion form.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Vice Convener of Culture and Communities said: “We’re really keen to hear what people think about Community Payback Orders, and the work carried out by the people subject to them.

“One of the aims of the consultation is also to identify more opportunities in Edinburgh for unpaid community work to be carried out. This work could include repainting community centres, community clear ups or recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture. They are an excellent way for organisations such as charities to get practical help, and they give people who commit offences the chance to repay communities for their offences.

“The information we collect will help us to improve how we work with communities and help to increase understanding of CPOs and their importance in helping people reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.”

The consultation will run until Monday 31 August.

Edinburgh Bioquarter launches public consultation

Edinburgh BioQuarter has launched an online community consultation with the intention of developing a new mixed-use neighbourhood, as part of plans to create the city’s “Health Innovation District”.

A new fly-through of the proposed development shows the latest design phase of the masterplan to the local community, with the consultation seeking feedback on how the site will evolve over the next decade and beyond.

BioQuarter, which sits to the south east of the city in Little France, is already home to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh Medical School and Centre for Regenerative Medicine, alongside a number of medical research institutes and life sciences businesses.

The ambition is that BioQuarter will grow to a community of more than 20,000 people who will live, work or study at the 167-acre site. The expansion will support an estimated 9,000 longer term new jobs, plus additional construction jobs, while greatly expanding the numbers of spin out and start-up companies.

BioQuarter’s partners – the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Scottish Enterprise, and the University of Edinburgh – are updating their existing masterplan to include a wider mix of uses including an increase in residential and commercial properties planned at the site.

The consultation on the plan will run online – due to current restrictions caused by Covid-19 – between 18 June and 6th July 2020.

Proposals featured as part of the online consultation include the construction of shops, cafés, a gym, hotel, nursery and residential homes set alongside state-of-the-art innovation, teaching and healthcare facilities.

With the commitment of its partners, BioQuarter has already benefitted from over £500million of public capital investment and has a further £300million of investment planned over the next five years.

The site is also home to innovative research including STOPCOVID, a project aiming to test existing and experimental drugs as treatments for Covid-19, spearheaded by the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research.

Commenting on the launch of the consultation, Anna Stamp, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Interim Programme Director, said: “Over the past two decades BioQuarter has grown as a place for health innovation with some of the country’s top medical research and life sciences businesses working together across the site.

“We want your views to help shape BioQuarter’s development. This is an exciting time as we look to create a new community in the city; a vibrant neighbourhood that promotes health and wellbeing and compliments its surrounding areas. We have a unique opportunity here, which, if developed in the right way, can deliver huge benefits to the City, including economic growth, jobs skills and education.

“As part of the development of our Health Innovation District, we want to make sure it includes the right mix of amenities that will ensure it becomes a great new place to live, work and discover.”

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “I’m delighted to see plans progressing for this hugely exciting project for Edinburgh. I’d encourage everyone to feed into the consultation for this cutting-edge development.

“Life sciences have long been extremely valuable as a sector here in Edinburgh, and the BioQuarter will play a crucial role in its ongoing success. This can make a massive contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the south east of the city.

“This scheme will create a whole new community of people, with access to a vibrant new public square. In addition to this, it’s estimated the development will create around 9,000 new local jobs, with many more construction roles being created while it is being built.”

Consultation-Documents

Those unable to access the plans online can request detail on the development by writing to Edinburgh BioQuarter Programme Team, Community Consultation, NINE, 9 Little France Road, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX.