Rumours again...about development

[bellybabe]

I stress, rumours, insubstantiated, etc etc...

I happen to know an architect who's been working for an Edinburgh firm, who "let slip" the other night that the plans for the Pitz site are already drawn up, and guess what they consist of? Yep, flats... It is claimed that mon ami l'architect worked with architect who was working on plans.

Presumably, since we all know that the exec is definitely not in the pocket of the building industry, these are only plans for a proposal which will of course be given due consideration...but I thought it was interesting. There was no mention of the word "affordable" linked to the word used, "housing".

[wangi]

Not really a suprise... And would proably make the most sense?

[bellybabe]

Well, it would make sense if it were affordable, but if not? To use another argument, not much of a gateway to Portobello - more traffic problems etc. I was under the impression we're hoping for a library/comm centre relocation to that area? Was I wrong?

[Poppy]

The land actually belongs to the council - it's held under a 99 [I think] year lease by the Pitz people...........

[wangi]

[Porty]

[Jay]

[Epykat]

[ras]

any one know if the Rockville were interested?

surely they wouldn' be able to knock it down - was it to refurb? It'd make a great house.

[Gemini]

[Maria]

[Guest]

I don't pretend to understand the political machinations behind all this, but it does strike me as being a bit daft to offer someone a 99 year lease on a prime piece of Council-owned land and, in doing so, to allow that company to effectively hold the Council to ransom. The owners of the Pitz don't own the land and they don't want to stay there - why should they share in the profits?

So the plan is to sell off most of the ground to a developer and to use the Council's share of the profit to build a new community centre? And a new library? It raises lots of questions. What kind of housing will be built? Will it be an asset to Portobello? What happens to the present community centre and library? I think Lawrence is right - we should all be included in these discussions. This piece of land has long been considered key to the regeneration of Portobello and that's something we all have a stake in. The superstore site, a new PHS - it's all inter-related and there are going to be some BIG decisions to make in the coming years. Understandably, there has been a degree of secrecy in the past regarding a 'masterplan' for Portobello, but it's time now to open up the debate to a much wider audience.