Tag: Edinburgh Academicals

You cannot be serious! SuperBrat’s in Stockbridge!

JohnMcEnroe

Stockbridge will resound to cries of ‘the ball was in!’ and ‘you cannot be serious!’ when the Brodies Champions of Tennis tour comes to Scotland for the first time later this week. Part of the ATP Champions Tour, former champions and other favourites will turn back the clock in the round-robin tournament.

‘Superbrat’ John McEnroe will be joined by tennis legends including Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Goran Isanisevich in the event at Edinburgh Accies’ Portgower Place ground from Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 June.

For ticket information call 0845 859 1006 or visit www.championsoftennis.com

ChampionsOfTennis

 

 

Size DOES matter, say Save Stockbridge campaigners

 

Bruce Thompson flanked by John Donnelly (left) and James McLean

Size does matter, Save Stockbridge campaigners told a packed public meeting in LifeCare House last night. The group called the open public meeting to raise awareness of what is being proposed at Raeburn Place and to update the local community on plans to fight Edinburgh Accies redevelopment proposals.

Save Stockbridge chairman Bruce Thompson told the meeting, which was filmed by a BBC film crew for a forthcoming documentary: “We are not against any development – we are against this particular development. You need to understand what is being proposed, and make up your own minds”.

Eight hundred people signed Save Stockbridge petitions at street stalls last weekend, with hundreds more group adding their names to petitions in local shops. The group has also produced thousands of posters, badges and stickers – and their website, www.savestockbridge.com,  has received 550 hits since the start of the month.

“We spoke to thousands of people at the weekend, and 97% of those we spoke to were anti-development. That totally contradicts what we’re being told by the Accies – and these are local people”.

Mr Thompson said that Save Stockbridge representatives had put alternative proposals for a scaled-down redevelopment including housing and a smaller retail base to Edinburgh Accies but ‘they are not prepared to budge – they’re sticking to their plans.”

Using the developer’s drawings, engineer and local resident James McLean gave a technical breakdown of the redevelopment plans and said: “The developers have used some artistic license and let’s be clear – this development is huge. Looking from Inverleith Park it dwarfs everything behind it; the postcard view up to Edinburgh Castle – a very important view – is destroyed”.

Mr McLean pointed out that the retail space proposed for the development would have a serious impact on local businesses. “The Accies retail area would be like adding thirty small shops. The upper floor of the development would also see a quite large area for bars, kitchens and function suites – that could be anything; it’s the sort of huge space a company like Weatherspoons would give their eye teeth for.”

Mr McLean estimates that, if it went ahead, the new development would have 25% of all retail space in Stockbridge, and said: “This is not a rugby development, this is a retail development. Edinburgh Accies does not need a 2500 seat stand – their last home game attracted 400 spectators. The Accies plans also reduce the sporting footprint, cutting from two full size grass pitches to one, so you can see where their emphasis is – the retail completely dwarfs the rugby.”

He added that traffic could also be a serious issue, particularly during construction and then with delivery vehicles accessing the site, and that the new stadium, with 2500 seats and additional 2500 standing spectators, has only fifty parking spaces – a potential nightmare for residents with cars. “Although there are only fourteen match days, the retail units will be open 365 days a year, so don’t move your car on a Saturday or Sunday!” He also believes mature trees on Comely Bank Road could be in danger during construction work when the Accies perimeter wall is removed.

The last speaker was local resident John Donnelly, who said the Accies consultation with the local community has been inadequate and that their case ‘lacked transparency’. He told the meeting: “So many people were unaware of what is being proposed – if you genuinely want to involve and consult with your local community, why do it on your own turf and why only do it twice? We want Accies to stay, but all we can do is react to the plans that are put in front of us. It’s the scale of the redevelopment – Edinburgh Accies don’t need a stadium of the scale they are proposing; they don’t need it, we don’t want it and we’re not alone. The level of support our campaign is attracting totally disproves the myth that this community is split – that is just not the case.”

Local resident Bill Anderson said it was time to put pressure on local councillors to ‘stand up and be counted’. SNP Councillor Gavin Barrie was present at the meeting and said: “I came here to hear the views of local people; I want to be a listening politician. The presentations have been very good, but I won’t put forward any opinions at this stage as to do so could prejudice my right to do so later as the planning process goes through Council. I would point out though that the developers have not yet sought planning permission so it would be difficult to comment on something I haven’t seen. You may have to reconvene when the application has been submitted and you know the exact detail.”

Closing the meeting, Bruce Thompson said that the campaign group will try to make local residents aware when Edinburgh Accies  planning application has been submitted and that people will then have 21 days to express a view on the proposals. Save Stockbridge also made available a list of Planning Committee councillors, along with contact details of Inverleith councillors and a summary of eleven reasons why local residents may choose to object to the planning application. However Mr Thomson did say: “What we have done is provide you with as much information as we can. We have posters here, petitions to sign if you haven’t already done so and contributions toward campaign funds are welcome. Now, you must make up your own minds and go with whatever you think is right.”

Public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies plans

Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council is to hold a public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies’ controversial plans to develop their Raeburn Place home. Campaigners have vowed to fight plans for the commercial development of the site which hosted the first ever rugby international, and the public meeting offers an opportunity to hear what exactly is being proposed for the site.

The meeting will take place in LifeCare House in Cheyne Street next Wednesday 18 July at 7pm – all welcome.

Local campaign group SoS Save our Stockbridge was established when the development plans were made public and now has almost 100 members. Explaining the reasons for the campaign on the group’s Facebook site, Ann Mcleod said: ‘This Group is for everyone who is against a 5000 seater stadium being built in Stockbridge in the centre of Edinburgh. The Stadium is to be built over the historic rugby grounds at Raeburn Place. These are the oldest rugby grounds in Scotland and the site of the first ever international rugby match. The area is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and Georgian buildings. It has a unique skyline across to Inverleith Park and beyond to Botanic gardens. I fear that a monstrosity of glass and steel would destroy this skyline and blight this historic area.”

She continued: ‘The current pitches are well used and well-loved by the community.  The proposed stadium will require thousands of parking spaces and room for the structure itself, so one of the two historic rugby pitches would almost certainly be lost.  Retail outlets are planned as part of the stadium. The Stockbridge area already has empty shops. I believe this massive development would destroy the character of the area. I believe this would adversely affect local businesses and reduce property prices. The chaos generated on the main road by the thousands of cars coming out of the stadium does not appear to have been considered. The drunken hospitality nights would also be unpleasant, there is already a problem with this. There is also concern about the historic walls and protected trees around this ground. This development is madness and totally out of proportion – Edinburgh Accies need to think again.’

However the rugby club believes that it must now ‘sensitively redevelop’ it’s existing facilities and that plans will bring benefits to both the club and the wider community. In an article posted on the club’s website before two pre-application consultation events held at the end of June, Edinburgh Accies said:

‘Raeburn Place is a sports ground with major historical significance. It’s home to the Edinburgh Academical Football Club, the oldest rugby club in Scotland, and the second oldest in the entire world. The first ever international rugby match between Scotland and England was held here in 1871. It’s a landmark of decades of sport and community, although in its current state you wouldn’t know it.

Finally the time has come to begin the sensitive redevelopment of this iconic sports ground and the Club is now in the final stages of the pre-application consultation, following which they will formally lodge for planning. Their main aim is twofold: to provide state of the art sports facilities and, in turn, to add to the vibrant Stockbridge community and benefit neighbouring schools.

The plans comprise two elegant double tiered buildings:

–  A clubhouse and function suite facing onto Comely Bank Road. These facilities will be located on the top tier with space for retail units below. Its main entrance will be next to the currently disused Raeburn House Hotel, which has been bought privately to be transformed into a boutique hotel.

– Changing rooms located along Portgower Place. More excitingly, part of the top tier will be dedicated to a rugby museum focused principally on the historical significance of the ground and the Edinburgh Academical Football Club.

– Players can enjoy a full-sized rugby pitch and two smaller training pitches. The plans also provide for the relocation of the cricket pitch which has been absent from the ground for the past 5 years.

The benefits of the development are numerous:

– Income from the development will go to supporting sport at junior and youth levels throughout North Edinburgh.

– Schools, residents and clubs can enjoy high standard sports facilities.

– It’ll be one of the few sports facilities not owned by the council or a school and so will enjoy flexibility of use.

– It will also provide a top quality function space for Stockbridge.

– The museum will add culturally to the area as well as going towards preserving the history of the site, brining in new visitors to the area.

– The trees running along Comely Bank Road will remain.

– Perhaps most importantly though, the development is required to ensure the longterm survival of this iconic and historic club, not to mention the survival of sport at this 157 year old sports ground. Although there will be some space (only 5% of the development) allocated for retail units, this is nothing compared to what could materialise should the Club not be able to secure its future as proposed. These retail units will be a modest yet effective addition to Stockbridge business, and will provide the income to the Club to sustain the high standard of the sports facilities.’

Representatives of the club have been invited to attend next week’s meeting, and members of the SOS Save our Stockbridge group have confirmed their attendance. For more information about the meeting email: contact@stockbridgeandinverleithcc.org.uk