Wester Hailes will feature in a new exhibition called ‘What if…?/Scotland’ opening in V&A Dundee on 22 May which will explore the relationship communities have with their built environment.
The project, commissioned by the Scotland + Venice partnership, is the creation of Edinburgh-based 7N architects together with Architecture and Design Scotland, Scotland’s design agency, and a number of local partners. Initially started in 2019 it paired five local people from Wester Hailes with five architects and designers to discuss how they would improve the spaces where they live and what their hopes, wishes and aspirations for the future are.
The designer responded to the wishes of the people by proposing a way to make the hopes a reality – asking What if…?/. The process was filmed by film maker Basharat Khan.
The exhibition of the wishes, alongside the films, were initially prepared for the Scotland + Venice exhibition for the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2020 – the world’s leading architecture exhibition.
However, with the 2020 exhibition postponed and uncertainty around travel in 2021 due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers were able to adapt the exhibition to premiere at V&A Dundee.
Connecting Wester Hailes
In Wester Hailes one of the key topics was around connections; connecting communities within the area and providing spaces for human connections.
Emily Stevenson and Eoghan Howard discussed with Katie Hay from 7N how a footbridge across the Union Canal would provide a connection to green spaces which would enhance the lives of locals.
Several groups discussed the derelict garage as a potential location for a community meeting place and how it was once an important part of the community and had the potential to be so again.
Leah Black from WHALE Arts, who hosted the workshops, said: ““It feels like a lifetime ago that Eoghan and I introduced a small group of local residents from Wester Hailes – Eunice, Emily, Bahiya, Ili, Chuks and Louize to the architects working on What If…? Scotland.
“We were delighted at WHALE Arts to play a part in making these introductions, however the success of this project was contingent on the generosity, open-mindedness and creativity of the group of local people who are passionate about improvements to the local area.
“The project was timely for us as we were working with Wester Hailes Community Trust, Ian Gilzean and partners on the beginnings of a Local Place Plan for Wester Hailes.
“This work on the LPP has continued to develop throughout 2020 and 2021 and we are thrilled at the notion of being able to incorporate some of these inspiring ideas into the long-term regeneration of Wester Hailes.”
Wester Hailes is one of five communities taking part in the project alongside Elgin, Annan, Paisley and Lerwick. Dundee will be added in time for the opening at the V&A.
As well as themes individual to the local communities there were many overarching themes of regeneration of lost and iconic buildings, the issues of closed shops in High Streets, community spirit, pride in local areas and how to create a meeting space that’s accessible to everyone.
In addition to the five films there will be an interactive installation called the Cloud of Dreams, where anyone attending the exhibition can submit their wish for their place.
Ewan Anderson of 7N Architects said: “When we first met with these communities in late 2019, who could have foreseen how much our lives would change?
“It’s interesting that even prior to a year in lockdown, community and spaces to gather and meet were of common importance throughout Scotland.
“I’m delighted we have found a home for the exhibition as it is important that these stories are told. And how fitting that this exhibition examining our places and how design affects them will be presented at Scotland’s first Design Museum V&A Dundee.”
Exhibition dates: Sat 22 May – Sun 21 Nov 2021 – Free museum entry.
The Causey Development Trust (CDT) is working with local Edinburgh resident Robert Motyka and Aga Miętkiewicz of Wee Dog media to share artist’s impressions and a video animation of how The Causey could look and be used
The Causey is a street in South Edinburgh that is currently vehicle dominated and unattractive
Objections to a design to transform The Causey into a street that is safer for walking, cycling and all users are currently with the Scot Govt. Department of Environmental Assessment
At a time when attractive outdoor space is at a premium and how we socialise safely has changed for the foreseeable future, creating places that prioritise people has never been so important
A charity that has been working tirelessly to transform an ill-used and vehicle dominated street in South Edinburgh for over 14 years is excited to give the local community a sneak peek at its plans thanks to a local partnership.
The Causey Development Trust (CDT) has teamed up with local resident Robert Motyka and Aga Miętkiewicz – the creative minds at Wee Dog Media – to create artist impressions of what The Causey (a street with historic significance in Edinburgh South) could look like, when the proposal currently sitting with the Scottish Government Department of Environmental Assessment (DPEA) gets the green light.
The first of the artist’s impressions looks down West Crosscauseway from Nicholson Street and using digitally created characters, draws attention to the proposed design that features a two-way bike system, plenty of space for pedestrians and makes way for trees, benches and neighbourliness.
The second impression looks from The Causey towards Nicholson Street, highlighting the change from a two-way, car dominated rat run, to a tranquil throughway for pedestrians and cyclists and hinting at the benefit to business spruced up shop fronts.
These artist’s impressions and indeed the design proposal promoted by City of Edinburgh Council in a Traffic Regulation Order for this street by CDT, have come about as a result of years of Ideas Workshops (with participants aged 12 -92 years) exhibitions, consultation with individuals and businesses located locally as well as liaison with The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh World Heritage, Sustrans Scotland, Spokes and Living Streets Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council supports CDT’s aims and the design proposed for The Causey.
It is not the first time that Robert Motyka and CDT have teamed up to help promote create a safer, healthier, and more attractive environment for those living in and around The Causey, and to promote the design proposal under review by DPEA.
In 2020 CDT premiered a film called The Causey – transforming a place created by Robert as part of their Doors Open Day 2020 contribution and you can watch it in full HERE.
The Causey Development Trust Chair David Wood said:“We are delighted to be in a position to share these amazing visualisations of our plans for The Causey with both the local community and wider Edinburgh public thanks to the fantastic work undertaken by Robert and his team at Wee Dog media.
“By working with local resident Robert and his Wee Dog Media colleague Aga, we have been able to put years of planning and canvassing of the local population into a visual format for the local community to enjoy for the first time.
“Given the impact of Covid-19 on how we work and interact, there has never been a more important time to prioritise people by creating spaces that are safer and greener and cater to the needs of the whole community.”
The Causey Development Trust is a charity committed to putting people back at the heart of The Causey, a street in Edinburgh’s Southside, by transforming it into a space that everyone can enjoy.
Currently dominated by vehicles and a redundant, unsightly traffic island, The Causey has the potential to be a fine civic space and plans to make it such submitted in 2018 are currently awaiting the final green light from the Department of Environmental Assessment.
By reconfiguring The Causey, reducing the volume of vehicles passing through the street and creating two way cycling, CDT will promote safer everyday walking and cycling while giving local people, visitors and students an attractive and practical public space that they can use for community-inspired events, neighbourliness, resting, socialising and simply soaking up the historic surrounds – and maybe even some sun!
The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal was signed yesterday, confirming millions of pounds of investment into the Scottish Borders.
Ministers of the UK and Scottish Governments and representatives of the five councils of the Borderlands Partnership signed the deal, which aims to drive inclusive growth and deliver significant and lasting benefits for individuals, businesses and communities, including the creation of up to 5,500 jobs.
For the Scottish Borders, investment will include:
· £19m for an ambitious project to create the world’s first Mountain Bike Innovation Centre, integrated adventure Bike Park and Trail Lab in Innerleithen (further details below)
· £11m Destination Tweed tourism project based around the River Tweed
· Funding to further develop the 7Stanes mountain biking network across the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway
· A share of £20m for town and community improvement projects through a Place Programme in the south of Scotland
· Funding for improved business infrastructure in Hawick and Coldstream
· Funds to support rural innovation and skills
· Projects to tackle gaps in digital and mobile infrastructure
· £10m to deliver the feasibility activity around extending the Borders Railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle
· Funding to support the generation of low carbon energy
· Pilot projects covering woodland, upland and agricultural areas to trial new approaches to valuing and protecting our natural capital to capture the benefits of our environment in a sustainable way
Councillor Mark Rowley, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Finance, said: “The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal has been worked on by the various partners for a number of years and this level of investment and joined up partnership working has never been more important than it is today, as we look towards our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This deal can transform the Scottish Borders, allowing multiple, large scale projects to be taken forward by the Council and a wide range of partners, delivering new jobs and sustainable growth which will help support the region for decades to come.
“Significant investment into our towns and communities, our tourism infrastructure and our environment means that this deal will see the benefits shared right across the whole of the Scottish Borders.”
Innerleithen Mountain Bike Innovation Centre/Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab
A key element of the Borderlands Growth Deal for the Scottish Borders is the development of a new mountain bike innovation centre in Innerleithen that will support Scottish, UK and international businesses to develop innovative products and services within mountain biking and across the cycling sector.
In addition, a Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab will be created in what is thought to be a global first in terms of combining tourism and innovation. An adventure bike park will deliver infrastructure to attract and sustainably manage visitors to the Scottish Borders.
Borderlands Growth Deal will invest £19million in the project, which is predicted to contribute £141m in Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 400 new jobs in the South of Scotland.
The project partnership includes South of Scotland Enterprise as project sponsors Scottish Borders Council, Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Cycling, through Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS).
Ed Shoote of DMBinS, the Senior Project Manager of the Mountain Bike Project, said: “It is fantastic news that the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, including the Mountain Bike Project, is pushing ahead.
“The vision is for the south of Scotland to be recognised as the European leader in mountain biking and this is an important step forward.
“There is still a lot of work to do to realise this vision and we will continue to work with the project partners and the local community to deliver the best project for the region.”
Councillor Mark Rowley added: “This project is a fantastic example of how projects funded by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal can deliver multiple benefits, in this case attracting new businesses and jobs to the area and also attracting tourists from across the UK, Europe and beyond, building on the already well-established reputation of the Tweed Valley as one of the world’s top mountain biking destinations.”
Professor Nick Antonopoulos, Vice Principal for Research and Innovation at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Today marks another important milestone for Edinburgh Napier and its partners in our journey towards making the South of Scotland the mountain bike capital of Europe.
“The Borderlands Growth Deal will build on the fantastic groundwork of the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, hosted by Edinburgh Napier University who have been supporting cycling innovation since 2012.
“This investment will take the work of Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland to the next level, helping to drive innovation and support product research and development, whilst working with local and international companies.
“Together, these projects will power commercial activity, attract inward investment and deliver positive outcomes in terms of public health and supporting carbon neutral products and processes.
“We are also hugely excited by the potential research opportunities for Edinburgh Napier colleagues across a range of academic disciplines, including exercise science, health and wellbeing, engineering, inclusion, product design, artificial intelligence, big data and tourism.”
South of Scotland Enterprise Chair, Russel Griggs OBE, added: “This is a transformational project which could really put the South of Scotland on the map as a global leader in the mountain biking industry.
“The potential wider economic and community benefits for the local area are significant in terms of inward investment and jobs, as well as bringing further UK and international tourism to the region.
“I am delighted the South of Scotland Enterprise will be working with various partners to realise this ambition.”
The Edwardian B-listed former Granton Station, set in the heart of the city’s planned new sustainable Granton Waterfront district, is to be restored by the Council at a cost of up to £4.75m.
The project will be part-funded through Scottish Government regeneration capital grant funding and town centre funding. The latter was previously agreed by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee in June 2019 and by Council in November 2020.
Work will commence to bring the historic former Granton Station building back into use by early 2022 as a high-quality creative workspace and the derelict land in front of the building will once again be used as a public square for community events and recreation to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area.
The station site is part of Granton Waterfront, a key sustainable £1.3bn regeneration project for Scotland, which will make a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net zero carbon city by 2030.
Work has already begun to provide around 450 homes for sale and affordable rent at Western Villages and at the end of last year construction firm Hart Builders was also appointed to begin work to design around 150 brand new affordable homes at the former Silverlea care home site in the area.
Cllr Rob Munn, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “Granton Station is an important link to the rich industrial heritage of the area, and I look forward to seeing it back in use once again.
“As it did in Edwardian times, the building will serve the local community but now as a vibrant and modern business hub with open public space outside for everyone to enjoy.
“The project will provide jobs while being constructed and long after completion, as a new enterprise hub generating local employment opportunities for the area and our citizens throughout Edinburgh.”
Cllr Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Regenerating Granton Waterfront is no longer just a vision. Spades will soon go in the ground to turn this historic building into a gateway for one of Scotland’s newest sustainable districts for people to enjoy for decades to come.
“With work progressing well on two affordable housing sites and plans underway to illuminate the former gas holder in the area with Edinburgh College, we’re making great progress to build a sustainable new district where people will be proud to live, work and visit.
“And we’re speaking to the local community to make sure the new district enhances and blends well into what is already a well-established area surrounding the site.”
Plans for the ‘largest and most important brownfield development in Edinburgh city centre for a generation’ were approved by the City of Edinburgh Council yesterday (Wednesday 17th February).
The development will create 350 new homes and provide 700 new jobs, giving a major economic boost to Edinburgh’s city centre and the Capital’s economy.
The construction phase alone will boost the local economy by more than £27.7 million a year while work is carried out, and the development will further boost the local economy by £35.5m each year once complete.
Work will begin soon and the New Town Quarter development could be complete as early as 2024.
Ross McNulty, Development Director at Ediston, said: “We have worked very hard to comply with all the relevant policies for such an important site. Our design has been driven by a thorough understanding of the heritage issues associated with being adjacent to Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site, and to open up the area, breathing life and activity into what is currently a redundant brownfield part of the city.
“We have conducted the largest consultation exercise ever carried out in this local community and, as a result, we have made many changes and improvements based on the feedback we have received.
“New Town Quarter will be one of the best places to live and work in one of the world’s finest cities and will help make Edinburgh’s heart beat even stronger. We are looking forward to turning our vision into a reality.”
Ediston and Orion Capital Managers are working together to deliver one of the most complex city-centre developments in the UK. New Town Quarter is a £250 million development that has involved extensive local community consultation during the last 18-months.
Planning proposals have involved complex negotiations over major infrastructure matters as well as providing sensitive consideration to environmental concerns given the proximity of the much-loved King George V Park.
Plans include creating 350 new homes as well as office accommodation that will support 700 jobs and add £35 million per annum to the city’s GDP. The construction work alone will generate nearly £27 million of economic development value and support 600 jobs.
The final proposals are expected to go before the City of Edinburgh Council Planning Committee in the near future.
Ross McNulty, Development Director of Ediston, said: “We’ve gone the extra mile to take the local community with us. We’re determined that this major development becomes a positive driver of significant economic activity for Edinburgh city centre.”
Clarification on Trees and Building Heights
We are aware that some of the information currently presented on a Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association backed-website is inaccurate and we welcome this opportunity to provide clarification.
It is not correct to state that our three planning applications are a threat to many trees being removed, as part of the development. The largest single number of trees being removed is in Eyre Place which is covered by a previous Planning Consent already agreed by the Council.
Some other trees are being removed due to the development, but the information on the website is inaccurate. In Dundas Street, trees are being removed for two important reasons. Firstly, they will not survive the demolition of the existing buildings, and secondly to restore Dundas Street’s original building line.
In King George V Park there will be a small number of trees removed to create a new entrance to link the new route from Dundas Street to the park. The Council has confirmed these trees have a limited lifespan and would need to be removed in due course but we are also providing replacements for these trees within the same area of the park.
Our team has also sought to protect the trees at Fettes Row and Royal Crescent as much as possible to protect the outlook in this location, and the continuous screen of tree cover will be retained.
We have also made a commitment to a 25-year Tree Management Plan throughout our site, as well as helping the Council deliver improved tree management within King George V Park. The number of trees to be removed in the park is entirely a Council matter.
However, along with other investment in the park, we hope to carry out works that will improve both tree cover and the park itself. It should be noted that any additional tree planting and park improvements are not being done to facilitate our development.
In total, 68 new trees are being planted – plus however many are needed for King George V Park. We have stated before that a number of the trees need to be removed on health and safety grounds, and some are internal within the site and have no impact on the local community. We expect the development to either have a neutral impact on tree removal – or potentially a positive one.
The other matter we would like to address is that great efforts have been made to minimise the impact of the development for residents in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. This includes keeping the buildings at the same height or lower than the adjacent buildings.
With regards to the impact on the park, we have conducted detailed and independent overshadowing studies that show the buildings closest to the park are not only fully compliant with Council guidelines but actually improve some aspects of existing overshadowing.
We appreciate that with any development there is change and we are acutely aware of the difficulties encountered with previous proposals and we respect residents’ right to comment on the proposals. All we are seeking is a fair hearing and a decision taken on the basis of Council and Scottish Government planning policies.
We have extensively consulted with the local community and interest groups and we would like all residents to consider the facts regarding the proposals and view them in the context of the Council and Scottish Government planning policies. The information set out in the Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association-backed website does not accurately reflect our proposals.
Tree Cover on Fettes Row and Royal Crescent
One of the main priorities for the development team was protecting the tree cover in Fettes Row and Royal Crescent. New Town Quarter is well screened by trees to the south of the development and these are much appreciated by residents. The development team has worked hard to ensure that the tree screen is protected and maintained. Existing trees are largely being retained to ensure that views enjoyed by local residents can be enjoyed for a long time to come.
New and replacement trees are being provided on the street and in King George V Park. Wherever possible the development team has sought to ensure that existing trees are protected. Ross McNulty said: “Preserving the character of Fettes Row and Royal Crescent has always been one of the key objectives for the development team and we’re confident that will be achieved with our proposals.”
Current View
Proposed View
King George V Park
King George V Park is a much-loved local park. Since the early stages of the public consultation, elements of the proposals for pathways and cycling have been scaled back following feedback. We have also had further consultation with the Council to highlight the need to manage pedestrians and cyclists at the interface with the park.
The development team is also working closely with the Council to finalise additional investment in the park to help take account of the new development, as well as helping safeguard its future quality and longevity. The proposals for park investment will be finalised through a Section 75 agreement, which is currently being negotiated with the Council. Once signed, this will be a legally binding agreement.
Ross McNulty added: “We would like to thank the Friends of the Park group for engaging with us throughout the consultation process. The discussions have been thorough and complicated at times but hopefully, everyone will see the results – including replacement trees, improved pathways and investment in the park for the long-term benefit of the local community.”
Eyre Place Update
There is a separate planning application to change the site area initially proposed as a hotel to housing. The timing of this application will run behind the main application. Being aware that Eyre Place residents had concerns about overlooking from the proposed new homes, the development team has been looking at ways to address the concerns, and we believe a solution has been agreed.
Even though the current proposals would have been entirely within planning guidelines, the proposed solution has been shared with interested residents.
Ross McNulty said: “We were left in no doubt how concerned residents were regarding this aspect of the proposals and we wanted to help if we could. The housing proposals, as with the hotel, will result in improved daylighting for Eyre Place, which should also help reassure residents that we are sensitive to their interests.”
Business Benefits For the City Centre
If the New Town Quarter development progresses, it will be the first major project in Edinburgh to move forward since the start of the pandemic. As such, it has a critical role to play in boosting the regeneration of the city centre as it recovers from the crippling effects of economic lockdown.
The local area around Dundas Street brings together an interesting mix of mainly independent traders – including cafes, restaurants, bars, hairdressers and guest houses – and a recent survey of 32 local businesses which surround the New Town Quarter area showed overwhelming support for the development plans.
Many of them were hit hard when RBS vacated their premises in 2017 and are now suffering further following the ongoing trading restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The New Town Quarter will bring much-needed investment to the city centre – and most importantly, bring people back to the local area to create a vibrant and exciting new destination.
Here are some of the comments posted by local businesses who support our planning application:
“The RBS site was always a highly visible focal point for visitors and activity and all the businesses in this area benefited from it. Now, more than ever, as we recover from lockdown, we all need the site to once again be an attractive destination for both living and visiting, to both help recovery in the immediate future and over the longer-term.” – Guest House, Eyre Place
“I have gradually built up my business following the RBS relocation, but have also now been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown. We are all desperate to stay trading in the area but need a commitment that something significant is going to be happening to transform an ugly empty building and gap site right opposite us into a thriving and busy neighbourhood that will bring people back to the area.” – Barber, Dundas Street
Feedback & Contact
For more information on New Town Quarter, contact: Ross McNulty, Development Director, Ediston.
The city council’s Powderhall regeneration project has reached another major milestone with the submission this week of a planning application by Collective Architecture for the first phase of a new development.
Following extensive public consultation this phase will include a new Early Learning and Childcare Centre with places for 128 children with 27 accessible council homes, designed for older persons, situated above. This intergenerational facility will be one of the first of its kind in Scotland and will offer health and wellbeing benefits for the older residents and new learning and social opportunities for children attending the nursery.
This new intergenerational building will also be one of the first Passivhaus-standard buildings built by the Council, meaning that it will use little energy. All the properties will be fully wheelchair-adapted, accessible via two lifts and will have storage for mobility scooters and bikes.
The new Early Learning and Childcare Centre, which will be managed by Broughton Primary School, will allow for the existing nursery provision to relocate to the new centre. This will provide more childcare places for the local community and open up more space for the primary school. It will also have a multi-purpose room, which will be available for public use via the school lets system.
The development also proposes to create a new civic space as an entrance to Powderhall and make improvements to St Mark’s Path, together with a new outdoor educational space for Broughton Primary School, again available for community use via school lets.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Convenor for Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, said:“The community have absolutely shaped the development plans for this site, so I’d like to thank everyone who gave up their time to share their thoughts with us. The plans are better because of their contributions and will have community facilities that work for local people.
“These new homes will be accessible and energy efficient. They will all be fully wheelchair adapted and built to the internationally recognised Passivhaus-standard, with renewable power generation on site. So they are both contributing to our Net Zero Carbon by 2030 target and our commitment to building 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
“We’ll start by restoring the stable block and work will begin imminently. This will create affordable, flexible workspace for small businesses – supporting dozens of local jobs. The function space can be used for community events, such as art classes or exhibitions.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the development start to take shape over the course of next year, restoring the lovely stable blocks, bringing them back into use and giving local residents back this area that has been unused for so long.”
Councillor Ian Perry, Convenor for Education, Children and Families, said: “This entire Powderhall development will bring fantastic benefits to the local community, creating great spaces to live, work and play – while being safe and carbon neutral.
“It’s great to see that through the new Early Learning and Childcare Centre more children in the area will be able to access nursery spaces. This will allow us to meet our commitments to making early years provision more flexible, to fit family needs, and deliver 1,140 hours a year of free early learning and childcare for all three- and four-year olds and eligible two-year olds.
“This phase of development forms part of the wider regeneration of the former Powderhall Waste Transfer Station and the adjacent former Stables building. In total, the development will deliver more than 200 homes – over a third of them affordable.”
Nicola McLachlan, Project Architect, Collective Architecture said:“The recent pandemic has reinforced the significant and detrimental impact that unsustainable living and social conditions can have on the quality of our lives, heightening our sense of accountability.
“The Powderhall mixed-use masterplan is reflective of an ambitious client and a participatory place-based design approach that has developed innovative and ethical living possibilities, taking visionary steps towards ensuring future communities are both socially and environmentally sustainable and successfully rooted with their surrounding neighbours.
“Phase 2 of the masterplan focuses on sharing, agency, and autonomy in the context of increasing age demographics, rising levels of loneliness and takes cognition of the significant shortage of older persons homes – particularly within urban areas.
“The proposals create a purpose-built intergeneration building where residents and nursery children can seamlessly co-exist, creating a variety of spaces where people can enjoy interaction and sharing space and time together. A project that marks a significant step towards designing with an agenda where wellbeing and high quality of life for all generations is our measure.”
Carl Baker, Architect and Passivhaus Designer, Collective Architecture said: “The project contributes to The City of Edinburgh Council’s target of becoming a net zero carbon local authority, and the adoption of the Passivhaus Standard ensures this is a tangible aspiration.
“In addition to Passivhaus and the proposed renewable technologies, sustainability has been considered throughout the project from the co-location of services and the shared building elements, to the reduction of embodied carbon by incorporating a circular strategy.
“Furthermore, there are many benefits for the client and end users of this project which are provided by the intergenerational approach and in striving to achieve the Passivhaus Standard. Some of these will be felt immediately, while others such as long-term health improvements and access to a high-quality learning environment will be experienced for generations to come.”
Go-ahead for Granton Station and Nourishing Leith Hubs
More than £25 million is going to disadvantaged and remote communities around Scotland to support regeneration and employment projects. Two Edinburgh projects, Granton Station Enterprise Hub (above) and Nourishing Leith Hub, will receive funding of over £2.2 million.
The money from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) will go to 26 projects all over Scotland to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth.
Over 400 business and organisations will benefit from the projects which will support or create more than 1220 jobs as well as thousands of training places by refurbishing and bringing back into use 26 empty buildings to provide space for community enterprises.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Together with COSLA we have invested almost £200 million through this fund since 2014 in support of locally-led regeneration projects which help to build the resilience and wellbeing of communities. I am pleased that a further 26 projects will benefit from the fund as we look to a period of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have had to lead our lives locally, pulling together more as communities, to see off the many challenges arising from coronavirus. This latest round of investment into local projects continues our ongoing support for vibrant and accessible town centres and communities.”
Earth in Common (formerly Leith Crops in Pots) were delighted to hear that their funding application has been successful at last. The Leith initiaitve recieves £944,744.
A spokesperson for the community project said: “Our team are over the moon with this news today! After many years and huge effort we finally done it. Our pixies went on one small outing today and look what they managed to achieve. Must have been all that fairy dust. They ‘Saved the PAV’!”
COSLA’s Environment and Economy spokesperson Councillor Steven Heddle said: “This work has never been more important as we look to rebuild from the devastating impact of COVID-19. Recovery from the virus must be fair to our communities and promote inclusivity, growth and wellbeing.
“The innovative projects announced today can empower our communities to deliver better places to live and work.”
While many of the awards are for projects based in urban areas, there’s funding for initiatives in some far-flung communities too
Among the projects being funded this year is The Old Clyne School Redevelopment Project in Brora, Highland. It will redevelop a derelict C-listed building to become a community-owned museum and heritage centre, and to be a base for the Clyne Heritage Society.
Dr Nick Lindsay, Chairman of the Clyne Heritage Society said: “This is the best news that we could have hoped for, in what has been a very difficult year. This should unlock the final ‘brick-in-the-wall’ funds from other funding partners, so we can deliver this major development for Brora.
“We can now fulfil our dreams by regenerating the Old Clyne School into a must-visit destination, transforming a current eyesore into a welcome attraction for the whole community and future generations.”
Hart Builders have been appointed to lead work to design around 150 brand new affordable homes at the former Silverlea care home in Salvesen. The Council-led development is expected to start on site next summer.
Hart is working with designers Smith Scott Mullan; Will Rudd Davidson; Hulley and Kirkwood and Hardies to bring forward proposals for the site as part of the £1.3 bn Granton Waterfront regeneration project.
The site will provide net zero carbon homes for social and midmarket rent as part of Edinburgh’s ambitious 20,000 affordable homes target as well as a new home for Craigroyston Community Youth Football Club.
Residents will benefit from improved energy efficiency and savings on fuel bills, helping to halt our impact on climate change. Residents will have access to high quality green space and links to the promenade and shoreline.
In addition to delivering the project, the contractor will provide a range of community benefits for surrounding residents including apprenticeships and mentoring programmes as well as supporting local organisations.
The £18m investment will be funded by the Council and grant funding from the Scottish Government.
Councillor Kate Campbell , Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, said:“Granton is a site of national importance – recognised by the Scottish Government as strategically significant. To us it’s an opportunity to provide a large number of the much-needed affordable homes, and to open up a beautiful part of our city’s waterfront so that residents can live there, work there and enjoy it.
“The views are amazing, the history is rich – and it’s our job to build homes and community spaces so that we protect and enhance that history and make it a fantastic place to live.
“I’m delighted that we have approved significant funding for Granton Station, one of the most important historical buildings, and that we now own, and are working to light up the gas holder. It’s critical that new development grows up around these buildings respecting, and enhancing, the history of this important part of Edinburgh.
“We’ve also got plans for a coastal park linking Granton Harbour, Cramond and Lauriston Castle, which will be one of the largest coastal parks in Europe.
“Residents told us during consultation on the masterplan that they wanted to see things happening on the ground, not a document sitting on a shelf.
“Appointing a contractor for these 150 new homes at Silverlea demonstrates clearly that we’re listening, and that we will get things moving so that our collective vision for this special part of our city can be realised.”
Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, added: “All of the steps we’re taking to make homes – new and existing council owned – more sustainable are also making them warmer and more cost efficient. This helps us to tackle poverty by making the running costs of a home more affordable as well as helping us meet our targets to tackle climate change.
“Already under way is our extensive £350 million investment programme in council housing which will, over the next 10 years, make them more energy efficient, help tenants save money on their energy bills and ensure more generally they are comfortable to live in.
“The appointment of a contractor is great news as this development will not only deliver much needed affordable homes but the project will also boost employment and help our economy recover from the challenges of the pandemic.”
Gill Henry, Business Development Director for Hart Builders, part of the Cruden Group said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to deliver the Silverlea project in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council.
“This landmark development will not only deliver one of the first net zero carbon home initiatives to the capital, it also provides the opportunity to really focus on placemaking and designing homes for the future and will address many of the issues highlighted throughout the pandemic in terms of homeworking, home schooling and the importance of accessible green spaces.
“Importantly, we are looking forward to engaging with Craigroyston High School and Edinburgh College to encourage more young people into the construction industry and offer first-hand experience of a live project being constructed on their doorstep.
“We will also be offering training and employment opportunities for local SMEs; supported work placements and employment opportunities for members of the community and sponsorship for local organisations to ensure the community benefits as far as possible from this new development.”
Funding for Pennywell Culture & Learning Hub and Granton Station
Five projects across the city are to benefit from the city council’s Town Centre Fund. Gracemount public realm, Craigmillar town centre, Westside Plaza Phase 3, Granton Station, Pentlands Community Space and Pennywell Hub have all been chosen to receive a share of the £1.454 million being allocated.
The funding for all of these local projects was passed at today’s City of Edinburgh Council full council meeting.
The money is part of £3.567 million of total investment that the City of Edinburgh Council received, over two rounds, from the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund. The funding seeks to drive local economic activity and invest in inclusive growth which supports town centres to become more diverse and sustainable, creating more vibrant, creative, enterprising and accessible places for their communities.
Local MSP, Ben Macpherson, has said that “the £747,000 investment for the Granton Station project will create a new destination in the heart of North Edinburgh for locals and visitors alike, and is an exciting aspect of the wider Waterfront development.”
Edinburgh Pentlands MSP, Gordon MacDonald, was also delighted to see “two brilliant local projects in Edinburgh Pentlands receiving the backing they need to take them another step closer to becoming a reality” as Westside Plaza Phase 3 and Pentlands Community Space were confirmed as they received £300,000 and £75,000 respectively.
The projects receiving funding also includes the Craigmillar town centre project and their bid to receive £170,000.
This funding will support them to turn a vacant site in the heart of the Craigmillar regeneration area into a hub for the local community and provide spaces for new and existing businesses.
The Edinburgh East MP, Tommy Sheppard, has said “This is an imaginative project that can help stimulate business in Craigmillar in a way that works with the grain of social distancing. It’s the kind of smart, targeted investment we need to bounce back from the pandemic.”
Commenting on the city wide funding, Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Cllr Kate Campbell, said: “We know that the impact on businesses from the pandemic has been especially hard, and that jobs and livelihoods are at risk. It’s important that we are doing everything we can to boost economic activity in our town centres so this allocation of additional funding to the Town Centres fund could not have come at a better time.
“We’re investing in public realm in areas of the city that we know have high levels of poverty. These are communities that need this investment.
“Most of these projects focus on transforming public realm. At Granton and Craigmillar this is going further, and creating a space that can be used for outdoor markets and pop up food and drink stalls.
“I’m really pleased that we are creating economic opportunities in the communities that will really feel the benefit. It’s about quality of life – creating public space that is safe, well designed, pedestrian and cycle friendly, and a place that people want to be. When we create spaces like this, we encourage people to use their local town centres in a way that’s good for the community and good for local businesses.
“The other benefit of these projects is that they all involve construction – so at the same time as benefiting communities, and improving public space, we’re also creating jobs at a time when they are desperately needed.”
