The bunting’s up (it also came down, but it’s up again!) and Stockfest 2012 gets under way this weekend. There’s a wealth of things for the whole family to enjoy in Stockbridge over the next seven days – see www.stockfestedinburgh.com to find out what’s on.
Size does matter, Save Stockbridge campaigners told a packed public meeting in LifeCare House last night. The group called the open public meeting to raise awareness of what is being proposed at Raeburn Place and to update the local community on plans to fight Edinburgh Accies redevelopment proposals.
Save Stockbridge chairman Bruce Thompson told the meeting, which was filmed by a BBC film crew for a forthcoming documentary: “We are not against any development – we are against this particular development. You need to understand what is being proposed, and make up your own minds”.
Eight hundred people signed Save Stockbridge petitions at street stalls last weekend, with hundreds more group adding their names to petitions in local shops. The group has also produced thousands of posters, badges and stickers – and their website, www.savestockbridge.com, has received 550 hits since the start of the month.
“We spoke to thousands of people at the weekend, and 97% of those we spoke to were anti-development. That totally contradicts what we’re being told by the Accies – and these are local people”.
Mr Thompson said that Save Stockbridge representatives had put alternative proposals for a scaled-down redevelopment including housing and a smaller retail base to Edinburgh Accies but ‘they are not prepared to budge – they’re sticking to their plans.”
Using the developer’s drawings, engineer and local resident James McLean gave a technical breakdown of the redevelopment plans and said: “The developers have used some artistic license and let’s be clear – this development is huge. Looking from Inverleith Park it dwarfs everything behind it; the postcard view up to Edinburgh Castle – a very important view – is destroyed”.
Mr McLean pointed out that the retail space proposed for the development would have a serious impact on local businesses. “The Accies retail area would be like adding thirty small shops. The upper floor of the development would also see a quite large area for bars, kitchens and function suites – that could be anything; it’s the sort of huge space a company like Weatherspoons would give their eye teeth for.”
Mr McLean estimates that, if it went ahead, the new development would have 25% of all retail space in Stockbridge, and said: “This is not a rugby development, this is a retail development. Edinburgh Accies does not need a 2500 seat stand – their last home game attracted 400 spectators. The Accies plans also reduce the sporting footprint, cutting from two full size grass pitches to one, so you can see where their emphasis is – the retail completely dwarfs the rugby.”
He added that traffic could also be a serious issue, particularly during construction and then with delivery vehicles accessing the site, and that the new stadium, with 2500 seats and additional 2500 standing spectators, has only fifty parking spaces – a potential nightmare for residents with cars. “Although there are only fourteen match days, the retail units will be open 365 days a year, so don’t move your car on a Saturday or Sunday!” He also believes mature trees on Comely Bank Road could be in danger during construction work when the Accies perimeter wall is removed.
The last speaker was local resident John Donnelly, who said the Accies consultation with the local community has been inadequate and that their case ‘lacked transparency’. He told the meeting: “So many people were unaware of what is being proposed – if you genuinely want to involve and consult with your local community, why do it on your own turf and why only do it twice? We want Accies to stay, but all we can do is react to the plans that are put in front of us. It’s the scale of the redevelopment – Edinburgh Accies don’t need a stadium of the scale they are proposing; they don’t need it, we don’t want it and we’re not alone. The level of support our campaign is attracting totally disproves the myth that this community is split – that is just not the case.”
Local resident Bill Anderson said it was time to put pressure on local councillors to ‘stand up and be counted’. SNP Councillor Gavin Barrie was present at the meeting and said: “I came here to hear the views of local people; I want to be a listening politician. The presentations have been very good, but I won’t put forward any opinions at this stage as to do so could prejudice my right to do so later as the planning process goes through Council. I would point out though that the developers have not yet sought planning permission so it would be difficult to comment on something I haven’t seen. You may have to reconvene when the application has been submitted and you know the exact detail.”
Closing the meeting, Bruce Thompson said that the campaign group will try to make local residents aware when Edinburgh Accies planning application has been submitted and that people will then have 21 days to express a view on the proposals. Save Stockbridge also made available a list of Planning Committee councillors, along with contact details of Inverleith councillors and a summary of eleven reasons why local residents may choose to object to the planning application. However Mr Thomson did say: “What we have done is provide you with as much information as we can. We have posters here, petitions to sign if you haven’t already done so and contributions toward campaign funds are welcome. Now, you must make up your own minds and go with whatever you think is right.”
Stockbridge was a busy place today: as well as Stockbridge Market’s first birthday celebrations (see previous post) SOS (Save our Stockbridge) members were out on the streets to lobby support for their campaign against Edinburgh Accies’ redevelopment proposals.
Armed with petitions, the SoS campaigners were joined by a BBC film unit yesterday – the BBC plans to screen a documentary about the campaign next Spring.
Campaigners hoping to save Malta House for Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) handed in petitions containing over six hundred signatures to the Church of Scotland this morning. The move comes as talks over the future of the building continue between the Church of Scotland and NHS Lothian, and campaigners could know the fate of Malta House as early as next week.
In a statement issued earlier today, the Save Malta House for LEAP camapign group said: ‘Copies of the Save Malta House for LEAP petition were handed to the Church of Scotland this morning. More than 600 signatures and heartfelt comments were gathered in less that a fortnight, on-line and on paper in the Stockbridge area. Copies were addressed to the Moderator, the Secretary to the Council of Assembly (the Church’s Chief Executive), the Chief Executive Officer of CrossReach (the Social Care Council of the Church) and the Church’s Solicitor. Mary Macleod, Depute Solicitor of the Church, received the petition. She said that a decision on the future of Malta House and the lease to LEAP would not be made today, but probably early next week.
‘The aim of the petition is to secure the future of LEAP at Malta House. By 7 September, the petition and campaign had encouraged the Church not to commit to immediate sale to a developer, but to enter into discussions about potential purchase by the NHS. This in itself is a great achievement, for which we commend the Church, but we are clearly not yet out of the woods. Should such discussions be successful, it would be a ‘win-win’ situation: the Church would raise money from a sale, and LEAP would continue to lease the property.
‘If these discussions do not lead to this ‘win-win’ outcome, the Save Malta House for LEAP campaign will want to know what on earth has gone wrong. It is not clear why the Church is having difficulty resolving matters. Initially the Church seemed to have found itself in an uncomfortable and stark choice between financial gain and its social responsibilities. The current prospect of purchase by the NHS Lothian (potentially through the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation) looks to offer a solution which delivers both: a way forward to the credit of all concerned.
We remain very aware of the efforts and concern of so many people on this issue of such importance. The outcome has an impact far beyond a local community, on the reputation of the Church, and on all those recognising the importance of LEAP remaining at Malta House and continuing as a beacon of hope for those facing the challenge of dependency on drink and drugs. The on-line petition is being kept open until the objective of keeping Malta House for LEAP is achieved.’
There are indications that the group and LEAP supportersmay indeed achieve their aim. In a statement on Thursday (6 September), Peter Bailey, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council (Crossreach), told the campaigners: “In relation to the NHS LEAP project in Malta House The Social Care Council wishes to reiterate the earlier statement that they wish to be as helpful and as flexible as possible in the current situation relating to LEAP. To this end they are now able to confirm that representatives of the organisation are in active discussions with NHS Lothian to explore a positive way forward on this matter within the constraints faced by both NHS Lothian and CrossReach. It would be premature to comment further while these discussions continue.”
Stockbridge Market’s Beth Berry extends an invitation to a birthday party …
Stockbridge Market celebrates its first birthday on Sunday 9 September. Opening day last year saw 17 traders set their stalls and hope the public would arrive – now Sundays are regularly packed with happy shoppers and we average 40 traders covering everything from the basics – meat, fish, bread, veg, cheese – to the exotic – olives, jams, chutneys, cured meats, French wines, cupcakes, sweets and lots of homebakes. Most traders are producers and you can discuss your purchase and get advice on how best to enjoy it. Most traders also offer tasters so you can go home secure that you will like what you’ve bought – a very different experience than the supermarket!!
Dont forget the eclectic mix of crafts, even featuring vinyls and CDs!! The market also offers lots of hot tasty treats and fantastic coffee to enjoy as you walk round and provides tables and chairs so you can rest and chat to your pals while the kids run round. Buskers and even choirs have started to turn up and the result is a fun, relaxed, social – even continental – feel for your Sunday. Come and help us celebrate our birthday – we are offering a free raffle with a packed market hamper as prize, and there will be balloons and free activities for the kids.
Come and see us … we are waiting for you!
Stockbridge traders and residents have vowed to fight Edinburgh Academicals’ latest plans to upgrade their Raeburn Place home. The rugby club wants to build a new 5000 spectator venue – but it’s their plans to add up to nine retail units as part of the redevelopment that’s causing consternation in Stockbridge.
The club has been tried unsuccessfully to upgrade it’s situation for ten years now. Edinburgh Accies and Festival Inns finally got planning permission in 2005 following a three year planning impasse but that development fell through. Then in 2010 new plans were tabled for a clubhouse and 52 bed hotel but these also came to nothing.
The latest plans for a ‘sensitive redevelopment’ would see a modern sports centre with boutique-style outlets fronting on to Comely Bank Road, with a series of clubhouse suites and function rooms as well as tiers of seats constructed above the units to face on to the pitches. A new rugby museum would also be created in adjacent Portgower Place.
At a packed public meeting organised by Stockbridge Inverleith Community Council to discuss the plans on 18 July, Edinburgh Accies insisted their latest proposals are necessary to secure the club’s future, but assurances that the club will work with the local community were dismissed by some participants as ‘pure spin’ The packed meeting in LifeCare House was clearly divided on the club’s plans – many are in favour but just as many seem implacably opposed.
Frank Spratt, executive chairman of Accies, said the development should be seen as an opportunity for the local area and will bring benefits to both the club and the wider community. He said: “Edinburgh Accies is as proud of being part of Stockbridge as we are of our role in the history of Scottish rugby. Our proposals are one are be one of the most ambitious proposals made by any community enterprise in Edinburgh. They will secure the future for EAFC in Stockbridge; creating jobs as well as enhancing Stockbridge as a tourist destination with a new museum of rugby. We are delighted to work with the local community to deliver the highest quality proposals possible for enhancing the area.”
However Ann McLeod, a founding member of Save our Stockbridge, a group created to fight the proposals, said: ’Our group is for everyone who is against a 5000 seater stadium being built in Stockbridge in the centre of Edinburgh. The stadium is to be built over the historic rugby grounds at Raeburn Place. These are the oldest rugby grounds in Scotland and the site of the first ever international rugby match. The area is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and Georgian buildings. It has a unique skyline across to Inverleith Park and beyond to Botanic gardens. I fear that a monstrosity of glass and steel would destroy this skyline and blight this historic area.”
She continued: ‘The current pitches are well used and well-loved by the community. The proposed stadium will require thousands of parking spaces and room for the structure itself, so one of the two historic rugby pitches would almost certainly be lost. Retail outlets are planned as part of the stadium. The Stockbridge area already has empty shops. I believe this massive development would destroy the character of the area. I believe this would adversely affect local businesses and reduce property prices. The chaos generated on the main road by the thousands of cars coming out of the stadium does not appear to have been considered. The drunken hospitality nights would also be unpleasant; there is already a problem with this. There is also concern about the historic walls and protected trees around this ground. This development is madness and totally out of proportion – Edinburgh Accies need to think again.’
Following public consultation, a planning application will be submitted. If this is approved by the city council’s planning committee, Edinburgh Accies hopes to complete the project by summer 2014.
The controversial proposals were on the agenda at Stockbridge Inverleith Community Council meeting on 15 August, but no decision could be made. Community Council chairman Steven Brennan explained: “Frank (Spratt) stated that the Accies application will be another three weeks, so we need to see the final proposal before we take a view on it. We will let you know when the application is submitted so people can form their own opinions.”
Edinburgh Accies is Scotland’s oldest rugby club and their Raeburn Place home was the venue for the first ever Scotland v England rugby international in 1871. It seems that hard-fought battles will continue for some time to come – and perhaps in committee rooms as well as on the pitch.
Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) is on the lookout for a new home following a Church of Scotland decision to terminate the lease of Malta House, LEAP’s base since it was set up five years ago.
Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead of LEAP, said: “We can confirm that our landlord, The Church of Scotland, has informed us it is ending the lease of Malta House and that we require to move out by the end of January 2013.
We would like to reassure patients, their families, staff and partners that LEAP will continue to provide treatment to patients with substance dependence problems.
We are sad at the prospect of leaving Malta House as many people have started their recovery from addiction here and it has met our needs very well. We are now exploring with our partners all of our possible options.”
Funded by NHS Lothian and three local Alcohol Drug Partnerships, LEAP has been a real success story since it was launched in September 2007. Operated in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, Access to Industry (Transition) and the Serenity Café, LEAP has helped people with alcohol and drug dependencies to transform their lives through a three-month treatment and rehabilitation residential programme. In March this year, Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham (below) visited the Stockbridge-based project to join in celebrations to mark the programme’s 250th ‘graduation’.
In a statement, a Church of Scotland spokesperson explained that the decision not to renew LEAP’s Malta House lease had been ‘difficult’ and was due to financial pressures on the church’s own social care budget.
“We originally leased Malta House to Scottish Ministers, acting on behalf of the NHS Lothian LEAP project, in 2007 for a 2 year period. This was subsequently extended to 2010, when it was renewed. At that point Scottish Ministers accepted the renewed lease of Malta House on the full understanding that the building would be sold when it was deemed that the market conditions were right, and to that end there were break points included in the lease. In June this year, in terms of that lease, we gave six months’ notice of our intention to terminate the lease from January 2013.
“We are pleased that we have been able to support LEAP for many years through the lease of premises at Malta House. However, we simply cannot afford to continue that support, given the financial pressures which we face in relation to our own vital services to people in need throughout Scotland. We recognise the good work that LEAP has been doing and we have a great deal of sympathy for the situation they now find themselves in. We have been trying to find them alternative accommodation in another Church building but have been unable to identify one that meets their needs. CrossReach (the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council) would dearly love to continue supporting LEAP but find ourselves simply unable to do so. We will continue to be as helpful and flexible as possible in managing this unhappy situation.”
The spokesperson added that no final decision about the sale of Malta House has been made, but that the option to sell is ‘actively being pursued.’
A group of concerned neighbours and supporters are mustering support to keep Malta House available to LEAP – visit http://www.facebook.com/SaveMaltaHouseForLeap for more information.
There is an on-line petition to sign and add comments at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-malta-house-for-leap/
The Water of Leith is flows from the Pentlands through the heart of Edinburgh to Leith, and it takes a bit of work to keep the river looking it’s best. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust organise regular clean-ups along the stretch of water, and Inverleith Community Learning and Development worker Callum McLeod was involved in the latest spruce-up on 29 July.
He said: “I’d walked the route with Ben from the Conservation Trust and there was no shortage of things to do! Thankfully we had a good team of volunteers on the Sunday and we tackled some troublesome Himalayan Balsam, which is a very invasive flowering plant, and there were a number of log jams to clear. There were also some lighter lighter duties – tending to the formal garden areas and there was no shortage of litter all the way along, unfortunately – but that meant there was something for everyone to do.”
Tons of rubbish cleared from the water and riverbanks tidied up!
It does take a lot of work to keep the Water of Leith looking good, but you can do your bit as a volunteer – check out the website at www.waterofleith.org.uk Among the rewards – apart from the exercise, companionship and fresh air – is a chance to see birds like sparrowhawks and kingfishers up close, and an amazing variety of wildflowers along the banks. It’s like being in the country in the middle of the city!
Set up by a group of dedicated and skilled volunteers, Friends of LEAP will help to raise additional funds for the programme along with managing the donations they receive.
Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead, LEAP, NHS Lothian, said: “LEAP continues to grow from strength to strength with more and more people successfully completing the programme and going on to live alcohol and drug free lives. We are delighted to see that the Friends of LEAP charity has been established. We welcome their support and I am sure their work will make a significant contribution to the service. All donations we receive are gratefully received and will go directly into catering for the needs of our patients.”
Trustee Alison Hume is one of four volunteers involved in setting up the charity. “Having volunteered at LEAP over the last few years we are delighted to set up Friends of LEAP. We have witnessed the dedication of staff, the high success in patients completing the programme and the impact that this has had not only on their lives but also that of their families and friends and we are delighted to be involved in this way.”
The LEAP programme operates seven days a week for people dependent on substances who want to achieve drug and alcohol-free recovery. There are six elements to LEAP’s three-month treatment and rehabilitation programme. These are:
“More than 500 patients have been admitted to the programme,” added Dr David McCartney. “It’s important we celebrate our achievements and look ahead with positivity in continuing to assist people in the future.”
Launched in September 2007 LEAP is the first programme of its kind in Scotland, and is an innovative partnership between NHS Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council, Transition (Access to Industry) and the Serenity Café and the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian.
You can find out more about LEAP here LEAP webpage
At least 200 people – and probably more – crammed into LifeCare House in Cheyne Street this evening to hear plans for the redevelopment of Edinburgh Academicals’ Raeburn Place site. A BBC film crew was also in attendance.
At least twenty more people were unable to get into the main hall to hear speakers or to pass comment on proposals (pictured below). The meeting was arranged by Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council to enable local residents to get more details on the controversial plans.
More to follow
