The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden will hold their first meeting of the New Year next Thursday (8 January) at 6pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.
Agenda items include:
All welcome
Regeneration’s back on the agenda as conference hears of ‘growing optimism’
It was one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration programmes – an opportunity to clean up a massive brownfield site, create new communities and link Edinburgh’s city centre with the sea. Hotels, new homes, schools and small businesses were to be built on the old industrial waterfront, all served by a modern, efficient tram network. There was even talk of a floating island – but then came the recession …
That was six years ago, but the economy is recovering at last and there’s growing optimism that Edinburgh’s waterfront can now fulfil it’s undoubted potential.
Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and local community councils organised a community conference at Edinburgh College on Granton’s waterfront last weekend to inform local residents about what’s happening now and what plans are in place to regenerate the waterfront area. Around sixty delegates attended the ‘Buiding New Futures’ event and heard speakers outline plans that could see North Edinburgh transformed over the coming years.
It’s well known that Edinburgh has a severe housing shortage, and with growing pressure on Edinburgh’s cherished green belt the opportunity to build new homes on brownfield sites must be seized. Speakers from National Grid and the city council outlined plans to build thousands of new homes along the waterfront, and highlighted prospects of local employment opportunities as the regeneration gathers momentum.
A major house building initiative is already well underway in the area: as part of the 21st Century Homes programme, the Council is about to let their first new homes in a generation. Work is also underway on the former Craigroyston High School site which will form the first phase of plans to build over 700 new homes for sale and rent over the next eight to ten years in Pennywell and Muirhouse.
People living in these new homes will need services, of course, and health provision in the area is already under strain. NHS Lothian Partnership Development Manager Steven Whitton outlined the latest plans for a major new health facility, the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre – that’s only a working title, mind, there’s got to be a catchier name than that!
The £12m Centre in Pennywell (above) will focus on child health and family support services and will house a new GP surgery, community nursing and midwifery services, dentistry, podiatry, physiotherapy and child health services. The centre will also provide facilities for social work and some voluntary sector organisations and is expected to open in September 2016.
Given the sheer scale of the regeneration project – the many different elements of the area’s development and the number of partner organisations involved – it was impossible to cover all aspects in minute detail, but the conference provided a timely update to local residents and Forth Neighbourhood Partnership plans to work with the local community councils to ensure that neighbourhoods are kept informed and involved as work progresses.
Forth Neighbourhood Partnership’s chairperson Councillor Cammy Day (pictured above) said: “I was pleased to see a great turnout at the event, and the diverse groups of people who are keen to take part in shaping their new and existing neighbourhoods.
“The conference provided a fantastic opportunity for the community to get to know more about regeneration taking place and to meet with key landowners and developers. This is not just about much-needed affordable homes, but the creation of jobs and training opportunities, leisure facilities and attracting investment into this area.
“This event isn’t a one-off either, I will be establishing a local development group where the community, council, developers and landowners in Granton Waterfront can get around the table, discuss plans at an early stage to shape and influence proposals, where possible, to meet our needs. It was a great start to what I hope will be a long-term partnership between the community and all those involved in regenerating this part of North Edinburgh.”
West Pilton & West Granton community councillor Willie Black, who was involved in organising the event, said: “The conference gave the community the opportunity to hear all the major players outline their plans for the regeneration of the waterfront and beyond – and to have their say. Everyone who was there though it was useful, but where now? A new regeneration forum group is to be set up and over the next few weeks community organisations will be invited to join and help build on the conference.”
Granton Improvement Society’s Barbara Robertson said: “Our stall attracted a lot of interest, particularly in the proposed Garden Festival and artisans’ village, and we’re pleased Cammy supports our project and wants to see it included in the area’s regeneration. The success of the conference showed the enthusiasm of the community to be involved in planning the regeneration of their area and paved the way for a new forum for the community to have their say.”
Some cynics will say ‘we’ve heard it all before’, but what about the next generation? Members of North Edinburgh’s Young People’s Forum attended the event and their feedback was very positive. Among their comments: ‘Feels like most of us if not all of us now know more about what is happening in the area’, ‘it’d be great to have more events like this to feed back on plans and what has been done’ and ‘feel more involved in what is happening and with what is going on in the area’. One suggested: ‘it would be good to say what has been done in relation to what the community has asked for – like a ‘you said – we did’ kind of thing’. Oh, and not so many big words next time please!
Building New Futures? Maybe this time …
An opportunity to find out more and have your say on the area’s regeneration …
If you live, visit or work in the north of the city, you may be aware of regeneration activity underway. Here in the Forth Neighbourhood, a number of projects have started or are under development. The Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and local Community Councils feel that this is a good time to bring together as many of those involved with managing or developing local regeneration to engage with the wider Forth community.
The Forth Regeneration event will take place on Saturday 27 September in Edinburgh College – Granton Campus from 10:00 – 14:00.
The event has been designed to be interactive and allow people the opportunity to fully understand and influence, where possible, current regeneration activity and future proposals. Information and discussion groups will take place around:
· New homes, improved public space and health facilities in Pennywell/Muirhouse
· Proposals for Granton Waterfront
· Wider investment across Forth, identifying challenges and opportunities.
An overview of the Second Proposed Local Development Plan will help set the scene before we head into discussion groups around the above three key areas.
A light lunch is available. Please let us know if you require any childcare arrangements.
To book a place, please use the link below. If you have already booked, there is no need to re-book.
Scott Donkin
Partnership & Information Manager | North Neighbourhood
Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and Community Councils are in the process of developing an event focussing on the wider regeneration of the area to take place on Saturday 27 September from 10am – 2pm in Edinburgh College Granton Campus.
We are currently working to bring together the community, landowners, the Council and its partners to share information about current and future regeneration plans and any opportunities that this can bring. This will also be an opportunity to learn of where key community aspects such as health, leisure, environment and social benefits are linked into any future developments.
It is intended that the event outcomes will help shape proposals wherever possible and keep people informed with what is happening in the Forth neighbourhood. It should also support the creation of a new vision for the area and potentially establish a wider Forth Regeneration Development Group.
We are awaiting confirmation of key speakers and felt that it was important to gauge interest in the event . I would be grateful therefore if you could use the link below to let me know if you and/or colleagues will be interesting in attending. A light lunch will be available on the day.
Please use this link to note interest. Responses will be checked regularly.
Further information is available from Michelle Fraser 529 3150 or myself.
Scott Donkin
Partnership & Information Manager | North Neighbourhood | Services for Communities | The City of Edinburgh Council | 8 West Pilton Gardens EH4 4DP | Tel 0131 529 5001 | scott.donkin@edinburgh.gov.uk
At least sixty new jobs will be created at Scottish Gas HQ on Granton’s waterfront, it has been announced. Parent company Centrica plans to create 300 jobs at contact centres across the UK.
The majority of the new posts will be created in Cardiff and Edinburgh,with the remainder going to Uddingston, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Oldbury and Stockport.
The jobs come on top of 300 similar jobs recently filled. At least twelve school-leavers will be among the new recruits, as part of British Gas’ commitment to tackle youth unemployment.
Kevin Roxburgh, Director of Customer Services at British Gas, explained: “These extra 300 jobs show our continued focus on customer service excellence. We’re looking for people who are committed to helping customers, to join the 28,000-strong team at British Gas.
“These front line roles are critical to delivering the service our customers expect, helping customers with everything from bills and boiler breakdowns, to engineer visits and energy efficiency.
“Our contact centres are vital to the running of our company. They’re the main point where we’re in touch directly with customers, so it’s important we get it right.
“We’ll be ensuring customers get a swift response and resolution to their queries, by ensuring the right people are always on hand with the knowledge and expertise to help.”
Mr Roxburgh added that all new employees will undertake a comprehensive training period where they will be given the knowledge and expertise to deliver excellent customer experience.
A group of North Edinburgh activists have got together to save one of the area’s hidden gems. Granton’s walled garden has lain neglected for years, but gardner Kirsty Sutherland and her friends are determined to save the site from redevelopment and return the garden to it’s former glory.
The ‘secret’ walled garden on Granton’s waterfront is very overgrown but it’s still there, somehow still alive surrounded by derelict industrial land.
“A few of us got together last autumn and started researching this garden’s amazing social history. I was inspired by the Never Give Up book created by local activists”, Kirsty explained.
Granton Castle’s garden has been around for over 450 years and survived many changes in the surrounding land – and wars! The castle may have gone, but from 1914 the walled garden was lovingly tended by three generations of one family. However it is now under threat – developers plan to build 17 luxury townhouses on the site.
Kirsty said: “We want to save this rare garden from development, and safeguard its incredible social history dating back to Mary Queen of Scot’s time.
“There is no need for this walled garden to be developed for housing as it is surrounded by vast areas of vacant post-industrial land, much more suitable.”
The Granton Castle Garden Group is appealing to local people to help preserve the site for future generations to enjoy, and they have created an on-line petition.
The group explain: ‘The petition is aimed at raising local awareness of a quite well hidden garden, which many people have never heard of living locally far less elsewhere in Edinburgh. It has a remarkable social history including almost 100 years of being a working market garden owned and run by three generations of one family.
‘Local community gardeners and folk interested in the story put together a list of ideas for the garden too which I am sure could work in harmony with the aims of Granton Improvement Society.
‘Time is what we requested of the development company, to allow local people to hear about the garden and plans to build in it, and add their opinions and ideas.
‘Some really positive ideas have been generated already and discussed by keen gardeners living in Granton and Pilton. They focus on local food production, and environmental education and activities: ideas are bulleted below:
◾Heritage Orchard restoration and expansion.
◾Retail nursery for production of plants with a purpose; fruit, herbs, vegetables, nectar plants and native wildflower species.
◾Base for a local ‘edible garden design’ social enterprise.
◾Medicinal and culinary herbs production for use in a community café and workshops.
◾Permaculture garden design area showcasing planting to combat environmental changes and save water. Forest garden approach.
◾Victorian Glasshouse restoration for use to supply local community gardens and cafes with both winter crops and vegetable plants in spring
◾Beekeeping and honey products.
◾Small scale free range chickens for egg production.
◾Community education workshops centred on gardening, crafts, herbal medicine, environmental education and seasonal food.
◾History/visitor centre combined with the community café showcasing the gardens long and sometimes dramatic history, dating back as far as Mary Queen of Scots time.
◾Oral and visual History of recent horticulture from Victorian era to present day.
Kirsty added: “Please help us stop demolition planning permission before it’s too late. Help raise awareness of this ‘secret garden’, and save two acres of historic greenbelt for future generations!”
If you think this garden is worth keeping, go to:
www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-grantons-forgotten-walled-garden
to sign and ‘share’ the e-petition.
If you have any ideas or questions, email: grantoncastlegardengroup@gmail.com
Four men have been arrested and charged after police recovered Class A drugs on Edinburgh’s Waterfront yesterday. Officers discovered £2500 worth of crack cocaine when they carried out a search of the Waterfront property yesterday (Thursday).
The men, aged 28,28,25 and 20, are all scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday 3 June.
DI Stuart Harkness said: “Drugs can have a devastating impact on our communities and as a result of police enquiries, we were able to recover this crack cocaine before it could be distributed on our streets. Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and removing drugs from our communities.
“Anyone with information relating to drug crime in their area can contact their local policing team or alternatively, make an anonymous report via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Local community project Joined Up Master Planning (JUMP) have been awarded a grant from the Awards for All strand of the
Lottery to carry out a detailed community consultation on their plans for the Walled Garden area at the waterfront.
Project manager Ross McEwan said “JUMP have just received an Awards for All National Lottery grant of £10,000 to consult with the people of North Edinburgh about the use of derelict land on the Waterfront for the Granton sur Mer project. The main piece of land in question is the Walled Garden just behind Caroline Park House. This major part is owned by City of Edinburgh Council through it’s “arms” length company Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd. They just want to sell it without any community benefit.”
A council spokesperson said “We are working closely on a number of projects aimed at continuing the regeneration of the waterfront area. A developer working with an established national care home operator has agreed terms for the purchase of the walled garden site and proposals are currently being drawn up.”
Ross continued “The £1m now is all they will get and the local community will see nothing from that. What we would be giving over a ten-year period would be £6m. It is short-term economic madness.
“What impact would a care home have? You would have maybe 30 bed spaces, about 20-30 full-time jobs and nothing back into the local economy.
“The benefits are nil if a private care home operator owns one of the best sites in Edinburgh for only £1m.”
The Granton Sur Mer scheme was to include an outdoor swimming pool created from four sea containers sunk into waste ground and filled with solar-heated sea water. Changing rooms and a snack bar were also to be created.
Mr McEwan claims that his own group’s proposals would generate up to £600,000 a year through rental income from artist studios and revenue from a cafe, as well as proceeds from the garden festival.
He said that positive talks had been held with two grant-awarding bodies, while banks had expressed interest in providing funding. Any grant funding would rely on a land agreement being secured.
He said: “It is the most realistic project on the table for the Waterfront and it would not be spoiling the area with yet more blocks of mundane buildings.”
