The Muirhouse Centipede’s on the march!

The Centipede Project, the community regeneration initiative launched in Muirhouse in March, has received a welcome boost with news that the project has been awarded funding to help take plans forward.

Linda Dunbar, Locum Minister at Muirhouse St Andrew’s Parish Church, organised the initial consultation event held in the church. That event generated a number of great ideas – the favourite being a community gardens project – and now it seems that those ideas have taken a step closer to becoming a reality.

Linda said: ‘We have had great news at the Centipede Project – we have been awarded £5000 Pilot Project funding from the Church of Scotland’s Parish Development Fund, so we are now gearing up to develop some of the ideas for the Community Gardens project. We hope to send out more information by the end of the month, but in the meantime a new Facebook page – Marvellous Muirhouse – has been set up for people, groups and projects to promote their activities and to celebrate all the good things going on in Muirhouse and surrounding areas. You can find the page at https://www.facebook.com/MarvelousMuirhouse so please:

log on and ‘Like’ the page
post on the page to tell everyone about your activities.
pass the information on to all your contacts.

This has the potential to be a great networking resource; if you want to see a similar page and how the networking has taken off, have a quick look at Glorious Govan on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/#!/GloriousGovan.”

The Muirhouse Centipede is on the march!

Council seeks developer for Muirhouse regeneration

A contract worth an estimated £80m to build around 800 new homes in the Pennywell/Muirhouse area of Edinburgh has been advertised by the City of Edinburgh Council. The contract is part of the project for the second phase of the Council’s 21stCentury Homes programme which aims to build up to 1,400 mixed tenure homes for sale and rent across the Capital over the next eight years.

At least half of the homes in Pennywell will be affordable with the remainder for sale and rent in the private sector. Construction on the site is due to start in 2013 with the new homes being ready to be lived in by 2014.

Mark Turley, Director of Services for Communities, said: “This is an exciting time for the people in Pennywell. The development is a housing led regeneration opportunity which will boost the local economy by providing new jobs in the construction industry as well as supporting local businesses.

“As part of the procurement process, the successful developer is also being asked to provide training opportunities and apprenticeships for young people during the course of the construction project. This will be a hugely important contribution to the regeneration of this area.

“The development provides the Council with the opportunity to unlock private investment, provide a mix of new housing and create a sustainable development for the area. ”

The successful developer will be required to comply with the existing planning permission in principle secured by the Council as well as the Pennywell/Muirhouse Design Guide, which sets the blueprint for design quality, energy-efficient new homes, roads, footways and high quality public space.

City of Edinburgh Council

Centipede Project's got legs!

Around 25 people attended the initial meeting of the Muirhouse Centipede project in Muirhouse St Andrew’s church hall last week, and participants have come up with a number of ideas that could help to rebuild community spirit in the area.

A wide cross-section of groups and organisations from across the area attended the ‘blue sky thinking’ event – with a handful of ‘visitors’ from Drylaw and Pilton too!

Muirhouse St Andrew’s locum Minister Linda Dunbar said: “We were pleased to see so many enthusiastic people attend the event. They came up with some great ideas and at least two of these will be taken forward. Fablevision’s Liz Gardiner, who facilitated the day, is currently writing up a report and we will take it on from there. Time is a factor and our plan is to submit our project proposals to church authorities next month and then consult more widely on how we take these ideas forward. It was certainly a very productive first session and we’d like to thank everyone who participated on the day”.

Centipede Project’s got legs!

A wide cross-section of groups and organisations from across the area attended the ‘blue sky thinking’ event – with a handful of ‘visitors’ from Drylaw and Pilton too!

The Centipede Project – small steps to a brighter Muirhouse

It’s fair to say Muirhouse and Pennywell have known happier times. With local businesses closing down and new homes still some way off, there are few reasons to be cheerful but Muirhouse St. Andrew’s Church plan to tackle the despondency with the launch of a new initiative. Muirhouse Centipede Project gets under way next month with an initial consultation exercise at the church on 15 March.

“It’s not been an easy time for the area and the community is weary”, said Muirhouse St. Andrew’s locum minister Linda Dunbar. “As well as the ongoing work there is a concern that, when the new houses eventually do get built, that could cause more tension too. Local people have fond memories of Muirhouse Gala and the way everybody worked together to make it happen, and that’s what we hope we can rekindle with the Centipede project.”

There are a wide range of groups, organisations and agencies working across the area and Linda hopes that they can all join together to come up with ideas to regenerate community spirit in Muirhouse. A centipede needs to get it’s many legs working together if it wants to get somewhere – hence the name of the project.

“We’ve contacted all of the schools and organisations based in the area to invite them to an ideas day – we’ve called it ‘Imagination Pick and Mix’ – on 15 March and the response we’ve received so far has been very encouraging. We’re delighted that Liz Gardiner of Fablevision will be leading the session – Liz has worked in community settings for over twenty years and she has a great reputation for helping communities produce ground-breaking projects. We’d like the 15 March sessions to produce ideas we can take forward together as a community.”

Linda stressed that Muirhouse St. Andrew’s is not leading the project, purely facilitating it. “We’re not the ‘head’ of the centipede; we are one of the legs like everyone else. For this to work it’s got to be ideas from the ground up and that’s why we’re hoping that all local organisations will come along on 15 March, bringing lots of ideas and enthusiasm. What happens after that will depend on the Muirhouse community itself. It’s a great opportunity to be involved in something really new and exciting”.

Imagination Pick and Mix takes place on Thursday15 March from 10am – 3pm at Muirhouse St Andrew’s Church on Pennywell Gardens. Lunch provided. For further information email centipedeproject@gmail.com

Have Your Say On Regeneration

City planners are appealing to Muirhouse and Pennywell residents to have their say on the area’s ongoing regeneration. A public exhibition drop-in session was held last Thursday evening in Craigroyston High School, where members of the masterplanning team were available to speak to residents about the latest plans for the area’s redevelopment.

For those who missed that opportunity, however, there’s still time to have a look at the plans and to make your opinions known – the exhibition will be on display in North Edinburgh Arts Centre in Pennywell Court until Friday 17 February.

Michelle Fraser, Senior Project Manager with the city council’s Housing and Regeneration team, said: “Towards the end of 2011 two masterplan options were prepared for the local community to see and comment on. Consultation events were held in November and December – thank-you if you have contributed to the process so far. Many of the issues raised have now been taken on board by the masterplanning team and this has resulted in key amendments to the preferred Indicative Masterplan Framework. A newsletter that went out out to the community to invite them to the events has a section that can be filled in and dropped off locally. Please make use of this or email any comments that you have to me and I will make sure that these are incorporated within the overall feedback from the consultation events.”

Comments can be emailed to michelle.fraser@edinburgh.gov.uk

Woman found dead in Muirhouse

Police have confirmed the death of a 61 year old woman at the weekend is not being treated as suspicious.

Police were called to Birnes Court in Muirhouse at 4.05am on Saturday morning where the 61 year old was pronounced dead at the scene.

It’s understood the woman may have jumped to her death from the 14th floor of the building.

Suicide threat after party stabbing

There was a dramatic stand-off after at Northview Court after a stabbing at a party led one reveller to dangle himself out of a 14th-floor window for more than four hours.

Male sitting on window ledge being held by two freinds

Police stand guard at the entrance to Northview Court

It is believed that the 21-year-old man was supported by two men who also threatened officers not to enter the flat.

It is understood that a group barricaded themselves in the flat after a party went badly wrong.

At around 5.15am, an argument broke out and a man was stabbed in the thigh.

The 19-year-old victim managed to stumble out of the flat and hobble to his home, in Muirhouse Gardens, leaving a large trail of blood behind him that later led police to the scene of the incident.

His condition worsened and he was rushed to the ERI, where he is reported to be in a serious but stable condition.

One insider said officers later entered the party flat and found large quantities of blood in a bedroom and the kitchen.

It is understood, however, that one reveller, who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol, panicked and threatened to jump out of the window if police attempted to arrest him.

Officers employed a negotiator as they tried to coax the man down from the ledge. Two others held on to him, and it is believed that they threatened to help him jump if police approached them.

One local resident, who asked not to be named, said they had been watching the stand-off since 7.30am.

He said: “There was a party that night and we heard it got out of hand. There was an argument and they said a guy was stabbed. He was losing lots of blood, so there was a trail of it through the building and on the pavement outside.

“The police followed the line of blood to the flat and it all kicked off. Two people have been dangling the lad from the window for hours.”

Another added: “His mates said they would help him if the police didn’t keep back. I think the party went a bit crazy.”

Negotiators finally managed to talk the man down from the ledge at around 11.30am. Two men were taken away by police, and the 21-year-old was taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Police say a man has been arrested and charged in connection with a serious assault.

Locals unhappy with Councilors comment

Please see below a letter received from Muirhouse Womans Group.

Dear Editor

We are writing to you regarding an article in the Evening News on 1^st September about a leaked email in which Councillor Elaine Morris described members of our community in North Edinburgh (which she represents) as ‘rabid’ and ‘anti-establishment’.

councillor morris protest picture — A rep from Muirhouse Womans Groups makes her feelings know at a recent protest

We looked up ‘rabid’ in the dictionary. One of the definitions is ‘fanatical’. This is very insulting, as it implies that the local people who organised the public meeting to inform our community about the Council’s proposals to privatise services are stupid. We are very angry and disgusted that Cllr Morris has such a low opinion of local people who are trying to protect the services our community needs.

In the email, Cllr Morris referred to members of our community as ‘anti-establishment’. If this means speaking up for our community, voicing our opinions, standing up for our rights and trying to make our community a better place to live, then we plead guilty. We are disappointed that Cllr Morris appears to think that our community should just accept the cuts happening in our area, and not question the decisions that the Council are making. We have the right and the duty to protect our community.

We met Cllr Morris earlier this year to discuss our concerns about the Government’s welfare reforms after our letters to David Cameron went unanswered. During the meeting, we explained that we were trying to make our community a better place to live. We thought, as our Cllr, she understood this.

We would like to remind Cllr Morris that freedom of speech is a human right which people in this community are entitled to regardless of race, nationality, sexuality or social class.

Yours sincerely

Sara Martin

On behalf of Muirhouse Women’s Group

Inspirational MYDG

Bike Club Development officer amy Hickman said “Muirhouse Youth Bike Club is an inspirational project which will enhance employability and increase physical activity levels in the area” Speaking at the official launch of the MY Bike Club and MY Adventure.

Young people, members of the public, staff and volunteers from other organisations all packed into the Klub to find out more about the programme of activities Muirhouse Youth Development Group is now able to offer

The afternoon kicked off with everyone coming down to The Klub in Muirhouse shopping centre where they were welcomed by staff and volunteers from MYDG. Amy Hickman, Bike Club officer, welcomed everybody to The Klub. Jonny Kinross, MYDG development worker, gave an overview of the two projects.

Bike Club funding has been used to become a City & Guilds accredited centre delivering bike maintenance courses to young people. Young people will also be trained up to deliver Scottish Cycle training and GoMountain Bike courses. This will allow MY Adventure to deliver a variety of outdoors activities to groups across Edinburgh, including cycling activities and Dr Bike surgeries.

Councillor Cammy Day attended to show his support for this project. He finished proceedings by officially opening the workshop and congratulating MYDG on becoming the first Bike Club in Edinburgh, and the first organisation to deliver the City & Guilds qualification in the city!

Young people and visitors were invited to have a look around the new workshop and to have a go on their obstacle course. Everyone admired the new tool boards and fetching Bike Club overalls purchased through Bike Club funding. They also had Bike Mechanics on hand to fix any bikes in need of some TLC. All in all a pretty good afternoon, well done to everybody at MYDG!

Amy added “Muirhouse is showing Edinburgh the way forward by becoming the first project in the capital to join this UK-wide initiative. The new Bike Club project will play a key role in the regeneration of Muirhouse by providing local children and young adults with skills and qualifications for the workplace and by switching them on to learning.”

Bike_Club_Launch_Cammy07 — Amy Hickman and Cammy Day look on as Bike mechanic gets to work. Picture: Amy Hickman

“Through the project, young people from Muirhouse will be trained to deliver bike maintenance, Scottish Cycle training and GoMountain Bike Skills. Once qualified, they will go on to deliver bike safety courses and GoMountain Bike Courses to primary and secondary school pupils. The project also lets young people contribute to the local community.”

“Muirhouse Youth Development Group is working with Bike Club,ActiveSchoolsand Muirhouse Youth Adventure to roll out this programme. Bike Club is a UK-wide organisation that offers grants and expert support to youth clubs, schools and other groups to promote health and learning among 10 to 20 year olds. It is operated by a consortium of three charities: UK Youth, ContinYou and CTC – The UK’s National Cyclists’ Organisation, with Youth Scotland as a development partner. Bike Club is funded by the ASDA foundation.”

If you would like more information please contact MYDG on 332 3356

Well done to all at MYDG