NW Portobello Masterplan

[Bob Jefferson]

[Maria]

[Maria]

[Porty]

What happened?

[Poppy]

[Porty]

[Maria]

[Maria]

Just a reminder that you can view the proposed North West Masterplan in the library. You can also ask questions from planners at the following times:

-Mornings 10.00 to 13.00 - Wednesday 30th January, Wednesday 6th February
-Afternoons 13.30 to 16.30 - Tuesday 29th January, Monday 4th February
-Evenings 17.00 to 20.00 - Monday 28th January, Tuesday 5th February

The plans include cramming the community centre to the cafe area above the bowling centre and moving the library away from its current central location. The linear park along the Figgate Burn that everyone liked has been changed into back gardens of new houses and the Bridge Street car park will be built on. The Baileyfield Road cottages are gone to be replaced with a 'raised linear park'. There are also proposals to build 10 storey high blocks of flats etc. If any of this concerns you then let stephen.hajducki@edinburgh.gov.uk know.

If you can't get along to the library then view it online

[Bob Jefferson]

Spotted on Regen.net, 'the most authoritative and up-to-date website for regeneration professionals.':

[Franck]

[Puerto bella]

[seanie]

[Bob Jefferson]

I'm hoping to get along on Tuesday evening to button-hole the guys from Planning. I've taken a look at the stuff in the Library and, in my opinion, it amounts to little more than a bunch of high-rise flats dressed up in pretentious nonsense. 'Moi' would have a field day with it.

I don't know anyone who wants to see either the library or the community centre re-located. The 'linear park' around the Figgate Burn sounded exciting but it now appears that even less of the burn will be available to the public than at present. We are losing 65 car parking spaces at Bridge Street that aren't going to be replaced - an absurdity if we hope to attract day trippers to the beach and if the hovercraft crossing goes ahead, as now seems more likely. It's also conveniently placed for Towerbank parents taking their kids to school.

I want to see the alternative seanie vision for NW Portobello. Could we commission you to knock something up within 48 hrs at a cost of £0:00?

[Puerto bella]

[seanie]

I wouldn't think that the Council has considered "aiding the site acquisition" in any way shape or form. This process is intended to come up with a planning framework that would shape future development, as and when it came about. Apects of the plan would probably encourage certain development, but it would still most likely to occur in a piecemeal fashion as individual sites come up for potential redevelopment. It could take decades.

I have mixed feelings about the proposals but there's one aspect I think is fairly reasonable that I suspect most people might disagree with. That's the density. I think they're proposing a density of aroung 65 dwellings per hectare. That strikes me as pretty realistic; I certainly wouldn't expect it to be much less. But alongside that they've managed to incorporate a higher than normal percentage of open space of around 35% compared to a more typical figure of around 20%. But they'll have achieved that partly by including a few high rise blocks. The element of high density housing frees up a bit more open space.

I think that commercial and planning pressures probably force a difficult choice. If you want a higher amount of open space you need to accept some higher density development to maintain the overall density. On the other hand if such higher rise development is unacceptable then you'll end up with less open space as again the overall density will need to be maintained.

There's a danger of getting to caught up in the fine detail of what is only a framework plan. The really important elements are the strategic decisions such as density, as they'll have a more profound impact in the long-term.

[Bob Jefferson]

C'mon, get your HB2 out. You know you want to.

[Puerto bella]

[Bob Jefferson]

[seanie]

[Bob Jefferson]

[Puerto bella]

[Maria]

Wee reminder that the last date for comments (if you are objecting to any of the proposals then you need to state this and give reasons) is this Friday 29 February 2008

email: stephen.hajducki@edinburgh.gov.uk

or write to him at Planning, City of Edinburgh Council, City Development Dept. , G.3 Waverly court, 4 East Market St, Edinburgh EH8 8BG


If you wish pro-forma letters can be obtained from PMAG c/o Caroline Hosking email: hoskingcaroline@hotmail.com Tel 669 5262

[Bob Jefferson]

[Bob Jefferson]

[Porty]

[seanie]

[Bob Jefferson]

[Bob Jefferson]

Here is the rest of the document:

[Porty]

Appendix 3- Summary of Consultation Points

I like the simpliciy of the list. It is an easy to follow summary.

The list is pretty comprehensive but rather ironically omits the complaints about the consultation process itself of which there were around 6 from the 201 respondents.

[Porty]

I think the brief is damned good and congratualtions to those that took time to input. It appears to have made a significant difference.

Superstore campaigners in particular must be very happy at retail being restricted to one corner shop. I wonder if it will be on a corner?

[Bob Jefferson]

From today's EN:

[Bob Jefferson]

PMAG still has reservations, as detailed in this extract from their latest newsletter:

[wangi]