At a meeting hosted by Sheila Gilmore MP, Newcraighall and have called on the City of Edinburgh Council to drop against a Council decision to allow 400 homes to be built at Newcraighall.
The urgent public meeting held at Newcraighall Primary School, was attended by over 60 local residents, supported by local councillors Stephen Hawkins and Mike Bridgman, and MSPs Kezia Dugdale and Kenny MacAskill. Members of both communities will make a deputation to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday 19 May, when the committee will have to make a decision on whether to appeal. There was unanimous agreement at the meeting to vigorously oppose such a costly appeal, despite the recommendation by the Planning Department that the Council proceeds.
Last month, Lord Malcolm quashed the Edinburgh Local Plan that stated 400 homes should be built on greenbelt at Newcraighall. Following , Ms Gilmore arranged an urgent meeting to allow community groups to have their say.
Speaking after the event, Ms Gilmore said: ‘Over 60 people from these small communities attended despite the short notice and made clear their continued opposition to building as many as 400 houses in this area,
‘They were angry to hear that Council officials were proposing to spend many thousands of pounds on further legal proceedings. The Council should accept the Court's ruling that the Planning Committee's 2009 decision was flawed,
‘The message from this meeting to the Planning Committee was clear:
· Don't appeal the Court decision;
· Ask the Planning officials to look to other sites if it really is necessary to find space for 400 homes around the city fringe;
· Look again at whether these sites really are needed in the foreseeable future & talk to the Scottish Government about getting this requirement changed.
There's lots of brownfield land in the city which hasn't yet been used up - developers should be looking there first!’Statistics: Posted by administrator — 17 May 2011, 21:50
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