Tag: Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden: deputation to Petitions Committee today

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Hi, Friends group members and supporters,

Recent meetings and discussions with architects developing new plans for Granton’s Waterfront have gone really well, with fresh hope for the walled gardens future restoration instead of another housing development. The timescale we have before the developers make a choice determining the gardens future use is short – 5th October Senior Management team meeting.
The council owned developers Waterfront Edinburgh Limited have until now insisted on housing in the garden as the best option, but we have been invited to make a presentation to show a viable horticultural alternative!
The garden is quite overgrown and neglected now as many aerial shots display (see above), but we feel it has great potential and a unique history as the oldest structure on Granton’s Waterfront. Who knows what archaeology lies hidden beneath its rich soil?
Our committee decided at the end of August monthly meeting to take action quickly and focus our efforts.
We now have cross party support from local MSP’s, community councils, many local community groups and other expert organisations for the safeguarding of the walled garden from unnecessary housing development. Follow the link below from the wordpress site displays some of the images from the last month, recent meetings and unexpected breaking news this week.
The petitions committee meets TODAY at 2pm in the City Chambers: we hope to represent the views of the Friends Group members and supporters despite the short notice given of the petition hearing tomorrow.
Below is the outline plan we have drafted showing the possible uses of the 2 acre garden. Outline design below is based on the survey results from the Friends Group ideas questionnaire, the topography, aspect and historic features of the walled garden.
garden-plan
Our committee had an enthusiastic emergency meeting last week led by Ellie to draft the survey ideas into an outline plan for the restored garden. We hope this news finds you well and that more positive news and future events will follow.
As ever please get in touch if you would like to attend our monthly meetings, or weekly community gardening dropins. Feel free to pop by the city chambers today at 2pm if you have the time – moral support and some positive energy welcome!
Next Friends Group meeting likely to be at the end of Sept, date, time and venue tba
Best wishes,
Kirsty Sutherland
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Postal Address
Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden
c/o North Edinburgh Arts
15a Pennywell Court, Edinburgh
EH4 4TZ

Saving Granton Castle’s Walled Garden and other stories

Hi folks,
A while since we have sent out any news, so a lot to impart as we have been busy!
Articles about ‘Granton’s Lost Garden’ now published, recent presentations have met with a good response which has been publicised on our wordpress page finding-grantons-lost-castle-garden Still time to fill in the ideas survey if you haven’t done already as it will be open until midsummer, the link can be found on the wordpress page.
The Friends Group have had two meetings recently with the developers who own the walled garden, the most recent of which was very positive in its outcomes. Is there a glimmer of hope for the future of the walled garden and its restoration? The Community Empowerment Act outlines many ideals we hope can allow our voices to be heard, the ‘last of Scotland’s lost gardens’ is too precious to develop for 17 luxury townhouses.
  • Council petition!!!, save_granton_castle_walled_garden open to sign by anyone resident in Edinburgh. We need 500 signatures to be heard again at the city chambers, but there is a strict time limit … so please sign and share with those you think may be interested.
NEAC plot June 2016
On a brighter note, recent seedfunding has allowed some practical gardening sessions to be run locally to help promote our Friends Group and actively involve local people and community groups in organic horticulture and community growing. Beautiful results for everyone to share, berry picking soon, North Edinburgh Arts centre plot (pictured above, Mondays from 1-2pm and West Pilton Community Garden on Fridays 10am -12 noon.
Hope to post details of our next Friends Group Meeting venue, date and time soon, likely to be the end of June. Please get in touch if you want to come along to any of the gardening workshops, meetings or have any questions.
Best wishes,
Kirsty Sutherland

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership to meet on 3 February

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Forth Neighbourhood Partnership Public Meeting

Wednesday 3 February, 2pm

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre 

Come along and hear about: 

Plans for the improvement of West Pilton Park 

  • Increasing the use of the park for physical activity
  • Improving the park environment
  • Improving people’s perception of the park

The Neighbourhood Environment Programme Fund (NEPs)

  • A presentation on some of the projects carried out locally to improve our open spaces.
  • How you can get involved in identifying future projects.

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden Group

  • A presentation on Granton’s ‘forgotten’ walled garden – dating from Jacobean times.
  • Proposals from local people to safeguard and restore the garden.

There will also be a short period at the start of the meeting for Neighbourhood Partnership business. For further information contact Jim Pattison, 529 5082 – jim.pattison@edinburgh.gov.uk

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Forth NP logo

Growing hope for Walled Garden

Good news for Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Friends

Hi everyone,
Some startling news has been confirmed by the planning department: Waterfront Edinburgh Limited have officially withdrawn their 2003 planning application to build inside the Walled Garden (writes Kirsty Sutherland)!
Some of you will have heard this miraculous news already as committee members, but I felt this news had to be confirmed by the planning department before sharing with everyone.

Continue reading Growing hope for Walled Garden

New Year, new deadline for Granton Castle Walled Garden

Hi folks,
The urban detectives have been busy over the new year and uncovered a bit of hidden history: namely Granton Castle’s ancient monument files from 1920, which were ‘sealed’ for 50 years by the mysterious Ministry of Works (writes Kirsty Sutherland)!

Continue reading New Year, new deadline for Granton Castle Walled Garden

December update from Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Friends
Our first ever AGM was well attended on a dreich night and we hope to send out a goodwill message and a thank you to all of those that have supported the Friends Group this year in helping raise awareness of it’s magical story and campaign for its protection (writes Kirsty Sutherland).

Continue reading December update from Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Friends to hold first AGM

A year of growth for Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

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Hi folks,
I can’t believe it has been a year, and it is time to take stock of the year’s events and achievements, and look forward to what we could do together.
  • Latest news, chance to discuss ideas and ask questions, and find out about events upcoming with our Scotland’s Urban Past project being supported by Historic Environment Scotland.
  • Apples and a few other surprises from Eve’s Apple Shack!
Hope to see you at our upcoming AGM – help us raise awareness of our campaign to save the last of Scotland’s Lost Gardens.
Kirsty Sutherland, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

 

Working together to save Walled Garden

Update from our first events with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) this October:
walled
Friends Group members and supporters have begun working with support from the Scotland’s Urban Past team, to investigate and share the story of the ‘secret’ garden (writes Kirsty Sutherland).

Continue reading Working together to save Walled Garden