Local community project Joined Up Master Planning (JUMP) have been awarded a grant from the Awards for All strand of the
Lottery to carry out a detailed community consultation on their plans for the Walled Garden area at the waterfront.
Project manager Ross McEwan said “JUMP have just received an Awards for All National Lottery grant of £10,000 to consult with the people of North Edinburgh about the use of derelict land on the Waterfront for the Granton sur Mer project. The main piece of land in question is the Walled Garden just behind Caroline Park House. This major part is owned by City of Edinburgh Council through it’s “arms” length company Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd. They just want to sell it without any community benefit.”
A council spokesperson said “We are working closely on a number of projects aimed at continuing the regeneration of the waterfront area. A developer working with an established national care home operator has agreed terms for the purchase of the walled garden site and proposals are currently being drawn up.”
Ross continued “The £1m now is all they will get and the local community will see nothing from that. What we would be giving over a ten-year period would be £6m. It is short-term economic madness.
“What impact would a care home have? You would have maybe 30 bed spaces, about 20-30 full-time jobs and nothing back into the local economy.
“The benefits are nil if a private care home operator owns one of the best sites in Edinburgh for only £1m.”
The Granton Sur Mer scheme was to include an outdoor swimming pool created from four sea containers sunk into waste ground and filled with solar-heated sea water. Changing rooms and a snack bar were also to be created.
Mr McEwan claims that his own group’s proposals would generate up to £600,000 a year through rental income from artist studios and revenue from a cafe, as well as proceeds from the garden festival.
He said that positive talks had been held with two grant-awarding bodies, while banks had expressed interest in providing funding. Any grant funding would rely on a land agreement being secured.
He said: “It is the most realistic project on the table for the Waterfront and it would not be spoiling the area with yet more blocks of mundane buildings.”