Sheila Gilmore: MP tells Council to think again to Greenbelt

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Sheila Gilmore, MP for Edinburgh East has welcomed a Court of Session ruling to reassess plans to build over greenbelt.

Two greenbelt sites at Newcraighall, East Edinburgh were identified in 2009 by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee as suitable for building 400 homes. Developers have since begun planning procedures.

In a ruling made last Friday, Lord Malcolm, quashed the Edinburgh Local Plan which allowed for the homes to be built on this greenbelt land after ruling out other areas of the city. Greenbelt areas are usually set up to restrict urbanisation in fringe areas of towns and cities. The ruling does not stop developers trying for planning permission but removes a presumption in favour of building.

The City of Edinburgh Council will now have to reconsider its plans in line with relevant legislation and recent ruling.

Sheila Gilmore, MP for East Edinburgh welcomed the ruling:

‘It looks like it is back to the drawing board for the Council. This decision was very controversial when made and Labour, Green and SNP councillors on the Committee opposed it. Many of my constituents in Newcraighall and Gilberstoun were very worried about the impact of these proposals on their communities.

‘Planning officials have argued that there has to be a release of greenbelt land because several years ago the Lothian Region Structure Plan said there was a need but that is now out of date.

‘I realise that these plans were devised when brownfield sites were in short supply, but the situation has changed and there is land in Craigmillar and Granton waiting to be built on. Greenfield should not be built on simply because it is viewed as ‘easier’. I call upon the Planning Committee to take this opportunity to look at this again.’

‘Developers might still submit plans following this ruling, but with the part of the plan ‘quashed’ getting approval is going to be an uphill battle.

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NEWS RELEASE: LABOUR MP: COMMUNITY CALLS ON COUNCIL TO DROP EXPENSIVE APPEAL

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!’

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Sheila Gilmore MP welcomes Council Planning Committee Decision.

Sheila Gilmore MP for Edinburgh East, which includes Newcraighall, welcomed today’s decision by City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee not to appeal against a Court of Session judgement.

Lord Malcolm ruled the committee was wrong in the way it made a decision to allow all 400 houses included in the City’s Local Plan for the urban fringe areas to be built at Newcraighall.

Commenting on the decision, Sheila said:

'After attending the public meeting on Monday, many local people emailed and wrote to Committee members to make their feelings known. With just a few days notice to prepare their response, this was a great result thanks to their efforts. There are still issues to be resolved and residents' groups and local politicians will be watching to see what happens next. But this was an important victory’.

MP for Edinburgh East Sheila Gilmore