Contents
- Hopes rise for derelict Brighouse site
- Have your say on our City – City Plan 2030
- Housing proposals for north of Craigs Road
- Concerns for the future of the Cramond Inn
- Meeting with Cramond Practice
- Transport policy on website
- Maybury to Barnton corridor discussions progress
- Work starts on Lauriston Memory Garden
- Lauriston Farm Agroecology Project welcomed
Making your voice heard?
Welcome to our October 2021 Newsletter. This provides a round-up of recent work we have done on the community’s behalf. Where there is good news, we have highlighted it with a thumbs up.
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If there are local issues the CC could help with, or if you’d like to get involved, email us at cramton17@gmail.com
Hopes rise for derelict Brighouse site
Rubbish is cleared from the Brighouse site
Cramond residents may soon be able to look forward to the end of uncertainty about the future of a site left derelict since the sale of Cramond-based Dunfermline College in 2003. In May the Council’s Development Management Committee required Brighouse developer, AMA, to enter into a “Good Neighbour Agreement” with the community organisations and work with them to agree an acceptable future for the site. This work is in progress.
To date the Community Council and Cramond Association have submitted a paper outlining a discussion approach to AMA and the Council and had one meeting. Papers detailing the current position and the suggested approach are available at https://www.cramond-barnton.org/planning/brighouse-development/
John Loudon, Chair of Cramond Community Council has said “The Brighouse site has been an eyesore for a number of years and residents need clear progress now.
“We have liaised with other local organisations and the Cramond Primary School over recent weeks. From our perspective the key thing is to identify a route map to an environmentally and financially sustainable development which delivers in the short term for the residents of Cramond who have had to put up with this eyesore for far too long. We are positive particularly as early communication between ourselves and AMA has already led to some clearing up and removal of rubbish on the site.”
Have your say on our City - City Plan 2030
City Plan 2030 sets out the vision and planning policy framework for development in the City for the next 10 years. The City Council has agreed to publish the proposed City Plan 2030 for a 6 week period for representations likely to begin in early November. The Council will then consider these and make any modifications before City Plan 2030 goes to Examination by Scottish Government Reporters prior to adoption by the Council. For more see https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cityplan2030. Updates will be posted on the Community Council’s Facebook page.
John Loudon, Community Council Chair is keen to get residents to take action. “This will be residents’ last main chance to influence the future pattern of development in the City for some time, so your views are important.” Please send your comments to the City Council and to the Community Council at planning@cramond-barnton.org so that it can represent the views of our community.
Housing proposals for north of Craigs Road
Developers are proposing up to 500 new homes and associated development, landscaping and infrastructure north of Craigs Road.
Concerns include potential further loss of greenbelt and agricultural land, flooding, traffic, air pollution and impact on landscape of 3 and 4 storey blocks. The proposals are contrary to intentions to retain the site as green belt in the proposed City Plan 2030.
To view the application and send your views to the Council visit https://.www.edinburgh.gov.uk/planningcomments and enter keyword 21/04210/PPP Emailing your comments to the Community Council at planning@cramond-barnton.org
will help us to reflect these in our submission.
Concerns for the future of the Cramond Inn
The Community Council is concerned to see that the Cramond Inn has closed. Community Council Chair, John Loudon, has written to Samuel Smith Brewery asking what the future plans are.
The Brewery plans to top a new fence between the public car park and the Inn car park with razor wire. The Council has ruled that this fence does not require planning permission.
Meeting with Cramond Practice
In May 2021 members of the Community Council met with Dr Lazaro and Practice Manager, Sheila Barrie to discuss how the Practice had been operating during the pandemic and what changes may be expected as Scotland returns to some normality.
It is expected that in time GPs across Scotland will offer a greater proportion of face-to-face consultations. Cramond GPs plan to fully embrace this but are aware that telephone consultations have been welcomed by some. As there is no desire to return to busy waiting rooms, the future is liked to involve a mixed approach. The on-line booking system will also be restored when the time is right. In the meantime the importance of the initial telephone contact in shaping the patient experience is recognised.
Other developments include the appointment of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner to support GPs and sessions from a specialist Dementia UK nurse – Lindsay White. Carers may contact her team directly for compassionate 1:1 support and practical solutions – tel 0131 357 2611 Mon-Fri 09:00 to 17:00 or email. scotlandclinic@dementiauk.org.
Transport policy on website
The Community Council’s recently agreed Roads and Transport Policy Matrix, which sets out our aims and preferred interventions, is available to download here. It calls for good traffic management, adequate bus services, safe active travel networks, good quality surfaces, infection control on public transport, safe road access and limits on air and noise pollution.
Maybury to Barnton corridor discussions progress
The longstanding discussions with City officials about the development of proposals for the corridor are now proceeding on a more productive basis with the City facilitating an on-site meeting with their consultants, Jacobs. We were able to talk about the existing problems at the Barnton Junction and shared a common view that the facilities for pedestrians and cyclists there were totally inadequate. We look forward to proposals being developed and shared towards the end of the year.
Work starts on Lauriston Memory Garden
Work has finally begun on the memory garden project at the lodge. It is intended as a relaxing and stimulating green space for people with dementia and their families/carers. Further details at https://edinburghforgetmenotgarden.org/ .
Ongoing fund-raising is needed to complete the garden and, thereafter, start on renovation of the lodge as a drop-in centre offering informal help and support for those dealing with dementia. If you’d like to contribute go to https://edinburghforgetmenotgarden.org/ and click on the Donate button. The first phase of the garden should be open in about 2 months.
Lauriston Farm Agroecology Project welcomed
The Community Council welcomed proposals for an agroecology project at Lauriston Farm but highlighted the need for toilets and parking as well as a cycle/footpath network.
The preliminary planning application can be viewed at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/planningcomments enter 21/03605/PNA.
The project includes food growing areas, woodland and orchard planting, wildlife enhancement and plans for community involvement through events, training and volunteering. Grass cutting is underway and applications for funding for a market garden and nature restoration have been submitted.
There are also plans for a film of the story of Lauriston Farm. If you have any memories of, or stories about the farm when it was productive, or have any historical information, please contact edinburghagroecology@gmail.com .
