planning – Page 22 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Have your say on Edinburgh’s local development plan

EDINBURGH LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SECOND PROPOSED PLAN

PERIOD FOR REPRESENTATIONS

The City of Edinburgh Council has prepared a Second Proposed Edinburgh Local Development Plan. It sets out policies and proposals to guide land use and development.

The Second Proposed Plan is accompanied by a Environmental Report – Second Revision, a Second Proposed Action Programme, a revised Draft Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record and a number of other supporting documents. These include a Schedule of Representations, which explains what regard has been had to representations made in 2013 to the first Proposed Plan.

All of these documents are available for inspection from 22 August – 3 October 2014 at:

Planning and Building Standards Reception, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
All Council libraries during normal opening hours.

The documents can also be viewed at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/localdevelopmentplan

Representations can be made on the Second Proposed Plan. These must be submitted in writing using the form provided by 5pm on Friday 3 October 2014. Representations can be submitted electronically to localdevelopmentplan@edinburgh.gov.uk or by post to Local Development Plan Team, City of Edinburgh Council, Business Centre G.3, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG.

Copies of the representations form and guidance note on submitting representations are available on the above website, at Waverley Court and in Council libraries.

If you made a representation to the first Proposed Plan in 2013, please note that you will need to resubmit your representation if you wish it to be formally considered by the Council and dealt with through the examination process.

Written comments can also be submitted on the Environmental Report, Action Programme, Draft Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record and other supporting documents. These should be sent to the above email or postal address by Friday 3 October 2014.

Drop-in engagement events have been arranged to provide further information on any aspect of the Second Proposed Plan:

North West Edinburgh, Rosebery Hall, Queensferry, 26 August, 3.30-6.45pm.
West Edinburgh, Drumbrae Library Hub, 28 August, 4-7pm.
South East Edinburgh, Kings Manor Hotel, Milton Road, 1 September, 4-7pm.
South West Edinburgh, Gibson Craig Hall, Currie, 3 September, 4-7pm.
South East Edinburgh, Faith Mission Hall, Gilmerton, 4 September, 4-7pm.
General session, Urban Room, Waverley Court, East Market Street, 22 September, 4-7 pm.

For more details see www.edinburgh.gov.uk/localdevelopmentplan

or contact Marius Hince on 0131 529 4692

or email marius.hince@edinburgh.gov.uk

Ben Wilson

Principal Planner, Local Planning Policy

NHS Lothian to consult on Victoria Hospital plans

NHS Lothian’s plans to develop the Royal Victoria Hospital site off Craigleith Road have been submitted, and members of the public can see what is being proposed at a session in Comely Bank early next month.

NHS Lothian plans to develop the site to provide a range of accommodation – both residential and non-residential – to meet the health and social care needs of older people, but also to market the remainder of the site as a ‘residential development opportunity’.

The public consultation session will be held at St Ninian’s Church, Comely Bank from midday – 8pm on Thursday 4 September.

PAN_Royal_Victoria_Hospital_Site

Raeburn Place development gains charitable status

The controversial redevelopment of Edinburgh Accies’ Raeburn Place home has received a boost with news that the project has received charitable status. However campaigners are urging the club to work with the local community to make the project a success.

In a statement, the organisation set up to progress the development said: ‘We are delighted to announce that The Raeburn Place Foundation (RPF) was officially registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) on Friday 25 April 2014. This is a major milestone for the Project. The Raeburn Place Foundation will build and operate the new facilities.’

Former Scotland rugby captain David Sole OBE said: “”As the Honorary Life President of the Edinburgh Academical Football Club, I am delighted that The Raeburn Place Foundation (RPF) has been granted charitable status (OSCR). I hope this will now facilitate the development, thereby helping shape the future of rugby and sport at Raeburn Place”.

The news has also been welcomed by Scottish Rugby. Chief Executive Mark said: “Congratulations to The Raeburn Place Foundation (RPF) which has been awarded charitable status by OSCR. This is a major step in securing the much needed upgrade in facilities required at Raeburn Place.

“Scottish Rugby recognises that improved facilities will help increase and attract players of all ages, both male and female, into the game, and indeed sport in general. This will also make for a more enjoyable spectator experience, leading to an increase in match attendance, thereby also helping to sustain the club game.

“It is befitting that the home of the first international will also be the location for a museum celebrating the international game”.

Local campaigners Save Stockbridge opposed the redevelopment and met last week to discuss the next steps in their fight against the scale of the Raeburn Place plans. A spokesperson for the group said:

“We continue to be well supported with over 80 people in attendance. Supporters were updated on the critical issue of ownership of the 6 foot strip along Comely Bank Road, where the wall currently stands. Until ownership of this strip has been established, CEC will not issue final written planning approval, therefore the development may not move forward.

“Although opponents of this development, Save Stockbridge has always supported the presence of rugby on the Academicals ground. We acknowledge their need for better facilities and a good income stream to support the continued health of this historic club.

“We therefore asked Dr James Simpson to share some alternative proposals that he had been working on with the supporters. We believe there is an opportunity to develop facilities and commercial (not retail), possibly also residential, property along Portgower Place. Those present were really interested and put forward other positive suggestions.

“We would be delighted to work with the developers and share our suggestions. Sadly, this has never been encouraged despite several offers from Dr Simpson in the past.

“Regarding the award of charitable status to the Raeburn Place Development, we are aware that after initial difficulties this has now been granted. Our understanding is that the development had been having difficulty raising the necessary funds, this award will go a long way to helping them raise the necessary finance.

“To that end, it is not good news for Save Stockbridge with regards the current proposed development. However, if (as outlined above) the developers would listen to our alternative proposals and work with us, we would be delighted that they had achieved charitable status to raise funds for the mutually agreed benefit of rugby in Stockbridge.”

Council unveils winter weather plans

The City of Edinburgh Council has announced plans for how the city will cope with potentially severe weather this winter.

Be Prepared for Winter will also provide up-to-date information to residents through targeted advertising in the print and broadcast media, supported with comprehensive information on the Council’s website plus leaflets and posters.

Salt stocks of 16,000 tonnes have been stockpiled at the Council’s four depots, and the city’s 2,200 salt bins will be refilled on a programmed basis. This amount is more than is required to last an entire winter season.

The city’s roads will be gritted according to which category they fall under: Priority 1 roads are main and essential routes that are pre-treated when frost or snow is forecast and receive priority treatment during snow. Traffic Regulations Orders will be enforced on certain roads this winter to allow better access for gritters, emergency vehicles and buses, where parking has caused obstruction in the past.

Residential roads fall under the Priority 2 category, and will be treated when there is a severe weather event after Priority 1 routes are clear.

High priority pavements will be treated 24 hours a day, seven days a week in times of bad weather. The North Edinburgh Cycle network and the Innocent Railway cycle route have been classed with high priority pavement routes for the second year in a row.

The Council website will be regularly updated throughout the winter and includes gritting routes, salt bins, a video encouraging residents to clear snow and ice, and information about becoming a volunteer snow warden.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Environment Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Although last winter was milder than the 2009/10 and 2010/11, it is important that we continue to be vigilant in preparing for whatever this winter throws at us. In 2010/11 we experienced some of the worst conditions in almost half a century and our chief priority if this happens again is to keep the city moving.

“Our Be Prepared for Winter campaign will use our website and social and local media to alert residents about plans for the next day, such as gritting, waste collection services and schools. We’ve also got maps on our website showing gritting routes and salt bin locations throughout the winter. There are more than enough stocks of salt and grit, and the fleet of specialist snow clearing vehicles is ready to go.”

The Council’s campaign follows the launch of similar winter campaigns by the

Scottish Government and NHS Scotland.

Ainslie Park housing consultation today

Community Consultation Exhibition

Former Telford College North Campus (Ainslie Park School) Crewe Road North

Miller Homes is hosting a second consultation regarding its proposal to develop this site. A drop-in exhibition to view the latest proposals is being held today:

Thursday 3 October between 2pm and 7pm

At Varcity North – Sales Centre

Crewe Road North

Further information from Caroline Owen at GVA on 0131 469 6068 or caroline.owen@gva.co.uk

Government cash to aid community planning participation

Cash to help residents have their say in the design of their community.

Funding to help local residents to make their communities better places to live has been announced by Planning Minister Derek Mackay. £100,000 is being made available for planning authorities to run community participation projects which will create visions for the future of their communities.

The cash will support design projects, known as charrettes, where local residents and businesses work with expert teams to create ideas for the future of their local area. The charrettes are part of a process to simplify and modernise the planning system and will inform future planning projects through Local Development Plans.

Previous funding generated town masterplans for Wick and Thurso, a strategic plan for the long-term future of communities in Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and a strategy for planning housing development in the South Wishaw area.

Funding is available for up to half the cost of projects taking place before the end of March next year.

Mr Mackay (pictured) said: “Local communities are the bedrock of our society. It is only right that in designing our towns and neighbourhoods we involve those who know them best – the people who live there.

“£100,000 funding is being made available to help create proposals for the future of towns and villages, with the promise of more to come.

“This support ensures that everyone can be involved in having their say on the long- term future of their community.

“The previous Scottish Government funded projects have helped energise communities and create a momentum for change from Caithness to Dumfries, Tyndrum to Lochgelly and Johnstone to Aberdeen.”

‘A sporting legacy?’ Council backs Stockbridge development

City councillors have voted to approve plans by Edinburgh Academicals for a major redevelopment of their Raeburn Place ground. The plans have split Stockbridge – campaigners say councillors have made a ‘huge mistake’ and that the development could destroy the existing community.

Despite impassioned pleas by objectors, councillors chose to go with officials’ recommendations to grant planning permission for the controversial redevelopment at today’s meeting of the Development Management Sub-Committee of the Planing Committee.

Speaking before the meeting, Accies’ executive chairman Frank Spratt said: “From the outset the only aims we have had have been to keep sport at Raeburn Place, protect the historic home of international rugby and provide high quality facilities in which young people can learn and enjoy rugby.

“All of the council’s and the Scottish Government’s policies support and encourage the improvement of town centres and the provision of high quality sporting facilities.

“Our proposals more than meet the requirements of council’s planning policies, so that north Edinburgh can have a sports hub of which it can be proud. The young people of north Edinburgh, and indeed the city, deserve no less.”

Objectors put forward a compelling case that the character of Stockbridge will be irrevocably changed by the sheer scale of the Accies development. In a statement issued before this morning’s crucial meeting, the Save Stockbridge group argued:

‘The proposed development is totally out of keeping in a mainly residential area, far and away exceeding the actual needs of this amateur sports club, which regularly attracts no more than 200 spectators to its matches. So why does it need such an excessively large stadium for 5,000 spectators?

And why does it need the proposed function rooms, bar, lounge and corporate boxes, all available for hire, which together have a greater capacity than the Ballroom, Music Hall and Drawing Rooms of the Assembly Rooms in George Street, plus new shops equivalent on average to about 25 present Stockbridge shops?

And why does the main building have to be almost as high as three double-decker buses?

Stockbridge is the third coolest place to live in Britain – if it aint’ broke, why fix it?’

Save Stockbridge said the proposed development flouts the city’s own Local Plan, would increase traffic in an already congested area and added that the retail element of the Accies plan will ‘hammer’ existing local shops.

Club representatives, however, argued that improved facilities at Raeburn Place would bring increased ticket sales and encourage wider participation in sport. Accies’ said that there is no plan to bring a major supermarket onto the site, and said that nine small shop units proposed in the development would not have a negative impact on local existing businesses. They also claimed the redevelopment will bring one hundred jobs to the area.

Following the marathon (over three hours) session, councillors finally voted to grant the application – despite one thousand formal objections and a 3200 signature petition opposing the plans

Construction on the £8 million redevelopment could now start as early as next Spring, but after a long and sometimes bitter planning dispute the community’s wounds may take somewhat longer to heal.

Green light for City Park development

A local campaign to stop the development of City Park has failed. At a meeting of the city council’s Development Management Sub-Committee of the Planning Committee this morning councillors accepted officer recommendations to approve a substantial housing development on the site off Ferry Road.

The decision will be a huge blow to local residents who have fought a long campaign against the redevelopment of the site which was formerly home to Spartans. campaigners argued for the need to retain open green space in a heavily developed area, but councillors gave the go-ahead for the new residential development which will consist of seven apartment buildings with associated car parking.Earlier this month Save City Park campaigners thanked local people for their support. In a statement on their website, the group said: ‘Thank you all for your support of our campaign to Save City Park. We submitted a petition with almost 1000 signatures to the Council and approximately 300 comments were received by the planning office regarding the proposed residential development of City Park/West Winnelstrae. This was a superb effort by all and your ongoing support is very much appreciated. Our next step is to secure the long-term future of City Park as public green open space.’

It now appears that the long-term future of City Park will not be green, but housing.

Cafe culture for Princes Street?

The prospect of stopping for a bite to eat while shopping on Princes Street is moving a step closer thanks to proposed changes to allow cafes and restaurants on Scotland’s most famous street. The plans aim to encourage more people to visit Princes Street and boost the area’s vitality by creating a mix of retail and food and drink establishments.

Today’s meeting of the Planning Committee will consider a report seeking permission to begin public consultation on new Supplementary Guidance (SG) for the Proposed Local Development Plan.

This ties in with the overall vision for the City Centre, the public consultation for which closed last week and drew almost 2,000 responses.

The proposed Supplementary Guidance for the City Centre Retail Core Frontage (Princes Street) allows food and drink uses in shop units which are under 300 sq m gross in size and which can safely accommodate outdoor pavement seating.

Twenty five units out of the 78 on Princes Street would be eligible to change their use from retail (Class 1) to food and drink (Class 3). Pubs and hot food takeaways would not be permitted as they do not fall into the Class 3 category.

To prevent future changes of food and drink establishments to Class 2 use financial, professional or other services (eg banks, betting offices), the Council will seek an Article 4 Direction from Scottish Ministers to revoke Permitted Development Rights for the change of use of Class 3 to Class 2 uses on Princes Street.

Planning Convener Councillor Ian Perry said: “This is about breathing new life into Princes Street. Cafes and restaurants will give people a new incentive to come into town to meet friends, relax over a meal and visit the shops. We’ve already had interest from prospective food and drink businesses who are keen to take advantage of the world-beating views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town that you get on Princes Street.”

Andy Neal, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: “Essential Edinburgh are delighted this positive step for Princes Street is being taken. For city centres to survive they need to offer a great experience and a row of almost a mile with only shops does not deliver that. The chance to break for a chat with coffee or a glass of wine will deliver a much more pleasurable experience and allow the unique and stunning views to be enjoyed. It will also allow the street to be used into the evening. With later shop opening and places to eat, Princes St will be an even greater asset for Edinburgh.”

David Birrell, Chief Executive at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a great opportunity to boost business in Princes Street by being creative with the mix of food and drink offering to the people of Edinburgh and tourists. It is inevitable that the face of Edinburgh’s flagship street will change as our culture evolves. Currently Princes Street is a shopping street to be proud of and this seems like a great opportunity to enhance the mix with restaurants and bars. What other city can offer all this directly opposite an iconic Castle?”

Hugh Rutherford, Chair of the Edinburgh Business Forum, said: “Princes Street currently has a strong retail offering with a variety of outlets catering to all needs. The opportunity to complement this with quality food and drink establishments is to be welcomed as this with help drive footfall to the city centre and will be instrumental in bringing a new lease of life to this iconic thoroughfare.”

The report also deals with Supplementary Guidance for Tollcross Town Centre. This is the first of eight town centres for which a programme of Supplementary Guidance has been prepared. the Council will prepare and consult on supplementary guidance for the remaining seven town centres (Corstorphine, Gorgie/Dalry, Leith/Leith Walk, Morningside/Bruntsfield, Nicolson St/Clerk St, Portobello and Stockbridge) over the next two years.

If approved by the Planning Committee today, the Supplementary Guidance for both the City Centre Retail Core and Tollcross Town Centre will go out for public consultation over the summer and, depending on the consultation outcome, it is hoped that there could be cafes and restaurants on Princes Street by summer next year.

Raeburn Place redevelopment

Edinburgh Accie’s plans to redevelop their Raeburn Place home is currently North Edinburgh’s most controversial topic. Yesterday, NEN’s friend and techie whizz Tom Allan kindly set up an online poll on this blog to gauge public opinion on the subject.

To help inform the debate, the planning application and statements from supporters of and objectors to the proposals can be found below:

12/03567/FUL | Erection of stands, clubhouse and facilities, associated commercial, business and retail uses including museum, licensed premises and function space, retail units, alterations to external landscape, car and coach parking, sports pitch realignment, sport floodlighting and alterations to vehicular access points and boundary walls. | The Edinburgh Academical Club 11A Portgower Place Edinburgh EH4 1HQ.

THE CASE FOR REDEVELOPMENT

Exciting plans for historical sports ground

Raeburn Place is a sports ground with major historical significance. It’s of course the home to our Club, the Edinburgh Academical Football Club (Accies), 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 many wouldn’t know it.

Plans for the sensitive redevelopment of this iconic sports ground and the Club is now in the final stages of the pre-application consultation, following which we will formally lodge for planning. Our 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 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 perceived benefits of the development:

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 long-term survival of our 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 for the current and future generations of the community.

Edinburgh Academicals RFC website

THE CASE AGAINST REDEVELOPMENT

Save Stockbridge is, first and foremost, most definitely not an anti-Accies body. Save Stockbridge fully respect that the Accies are our neighbours and it goes without saying that they need a stand and changing facilities. We believe we speak for all when we say that no-one would object to an appropriately sized development in the right location. The problem is simply that this proposal is wholly inappropriate in terms of usage and scale.

It is worth noting that permission for the current redevelopment of the Raeburn House Hotel under its new ownership was achieved with the support of the local community. So it would be unfair to portray us as a group that are opposed to change or adopting a knee jerk ‘not on my doorstep’ mentality. The reason why the community got behind the Raeburn House development was because that developer made considerable efforts to engaged local people. In contrast, the Developer in this case has barely engaged the community at all. There has been little transparency and locals have been left with a stark “take it as it is or it’s going to be a car park” proposition.

The sheer scale and nature of what is being proposed here and its consequences for many aspects of life amongst the wider community is what has brought the community together. The development features 19,000 square feet of retail space along Comely Bank Road. To put this into perspective, that is the equivalent of 5 Scotmids or 20 small to average sized Stockbridge shops.

Furthermore, this development would obliterate the current open views to Inverleith Park with a real loss of amenity to the residents. And with regard to the retail aspect of Stockbridge, it would unquestionably put pressure on many of the existing businesses at a time of retail difficulty.

In the weeks running up to the planning application being submitted, we took to the streets of Stockbridge to draw local people’s attention to the existence of the project and make sure they could see the developer’s own drawings. But we were surprised at just how many people were only finding out about this development for the first time as a result of our efforts, again pointing to the Developers lack of sufficient transparency and engagement.

It is no exaggeration to say that there were gasps of horror from many who were seeing the plans for the first time. Many find it hard to understand why a club that currently attracts crowds in the low hundreds at best to its first XV matches (14 times per year) requires a ground with capacity for 5,000 spectators (2,500 seated, 2,500 standing). The stand itself, which would sit on top of the retail development, is almost the height of 3 double-decker buses, stretching along the length of Comely Bank Road and Portgower Place. It bears all the hallmarks of a white elephant in the making. Not the type of legacy either the club or the village requires.

It is clearly not a rugby development – it is a retail development, which is being built primarily for the benefit of the Developer. If this is not the case, why does the development actually reduce the playing footprint and have its stands absolutely against all norms e.g. behind the goal and not at the half way line?

Save Stockbridge are also concerned about factors such as traffic considerations (with only 50 car parking spaces being planned) along what is already a busy road, a principle route for emergency services and schoolchildren amongst others. Fears also exist surrounding the future viability of the trees that form the hallmark avenue effect along Comely Bank Road if the current publicly owned wall (which contrary to some reports is believed to have many years of life ahead of it if properly maintained) is removed and the proposed concourse is built.

People literally queued to sign our petition to express their concern and within a very short space of time we amassed some 2,500 signatures (all from local people physically present at our stand or participating shops, a far better measure of local opinion than internet based petitions and surveys). It is fair to say that no more than a handful out of the thousands that stopped to talk to us and look at the developers own pictures expressed any degree of support for the proposals as presented.

We therefore conclude that claims that the community is divided regarding this development are nonsense. The community as evident by the petitions is vehemently against this development, a point which Save Stockbridge has stressed to both local councillors and MSP’s alike in the last 2 weeks.

Regardless of what justification, financial or otherwise, has been put forward for this development, it is important not to overlook the fact that the developer is seeking to build this in a conservation area. Strict rules apply to protect these important historic aspects of our city for benefit of all both now and for generations to come. It is these same rules that prevent ordinary people living directly across the road from this development from installing something as simple as double glazing, an amenity that many of us take for granted. If this development is allowed to go ahead, it would establish a dangerous precedent that says that these important planning principles can simply be cast aside simply to suit the business needs of a private body pleading poverty. This cannot be right.

Save Stockbridge would appreciate the opportunity to work with the Accies to find a mutually agreeable solution but, despite repeated requests, have not been afforded this opportunity. Whilst we have genuine sympathy for the Accies current situation and agree that solution needs to be found, this proposal has to be rejected.

Save Stockbridge press statement

So there you have it, both sides of the argument – what do you think?