Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council annual general meeting, held via MS Teams, on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 6:30pm
Actions and decisions are red italic. Nem con means that no-one spoke or voted against an item.
Cllr Booth chaired this meeting.
1 Introductions and apologies for absence
1.a Present
| Stewart Auld | LHNCC | Neil Tulloch | LHNCC |
| Don Giles | LHNCC | Bruce Ryan | minutes secretary |
| Jennifer Marlborough | LHNCC | Cllr Chas Booth | Leith ward |
| Jim Preacher | LHNCC | Una Richards | Scottish Historic Buildings Trust |
| Douglas Tharby | LHNCC | ~2 residents/visitors |
1.b Apologies for absence
| Elaine Dick | LHNCC | Arthur Young | NTBCC | Cllr Katrina Faccenda | Leith ward | Cllr Adam McVey | Leith ward |
2 Approval of the minutes of the 2021 Annual General Meeting
Approved as-is (proposed J Marlborough, seconded D Tharby, nem con)
3 Annual Report, Chairman: brief review of year
See full report in appendix 1. Key points included
- Thanks to LHNCC members, Leith ward councillors and residents for their contributions. LHNCC welcomes the new Leith ward councillors.
- LHNCC focused on trams, street waste bins, safe cycle ways, controlled parking zones, the low emission zone and the low traffic neighbourhood and many spatial planning developments
The report was accepted nem con.
4 Annual report, Secretary: brief review of year
See full report in appendix 2. The key point was that LHNCC is currently dealing with 28 planning applications, consisting of 4414 units – a huge volume of work for a body composed of volunteers.
The report was accepted nem con.
5 Treasurer’s report: accounts for 2021/2022
See full report in appendix 3. The accounts will be signed off by an independent person in due course.
The report was accepted nem con.
6 Demit of current office bearers and election of office bearers
All nominees accepted their nominations. There were no other candidates.
| Role | Nominations | Proposer | Seconder | Result |
| Chair | D Tharby | J Marlborough | S Auld | Tharby elected |
| Treasurer | D Tharby | N Tulloch | D Giles | Tharby elected |
| Secretary | J Marlborough | D Tharby | N Tulloch | Marlborough elected |
| Vice-chair | E Dick | J Marlborough | D Tharby | Dick elected |
| Engagement Officer | N Tulloch | J Marlborough | D Giles | Tulloch elected |
7 Date of next AGM
Tuesday 27 June 2023
8 Appendix 1: Chairman’s Report for 2021-22
As another year draws to a close it is time to reflect on the past, to our work with the present and to look to the future.
As I look to the year past I extend a very warm and heartfelt thanks to all our members for their attendance at our online and hybrid meetings and their commitment to the LHNCC business. I would also thank our Leith Ward Councillors, Adam McVey, Chas Booth and Gordon Munro for their support and involvement in those meetings and their taking away issues raised for further research and resolution.
We have a following of local residents and others that have joined us over the year not just to complain but to offer us support in our work. Thanks for all your thoughts and contributions expressed.
This is also a time to say our ‘goodbyes’ to Councillor Gordon Munro. We wish him well in retirement and I am sure that we will hear from him from time to time and I hope that he will join our meeting when there are issues on which he is expert. We also say our ‘hello’ to Katrina Faccenda and look forward to her attending our meetings and taking up our local issues and challenges.
Trams, Street Waste Bins, Safe Cycle ways were straight forward enough to appreciate and understand but CPZ, LEZ and LTN took on a greater need of understanding and at times defied logic and common sense to us. (CPZ = Controlled Parking Zone, LEZ = Low Emission Zone and LTN = Low Traffic Neighbourhood for those unfamiliar)
Then there are the proposed developments at whatever stage they are at in the planning process. We find it hard to find out just who IS the developer all too often these days and why is this? The need for Social Housing remains top of our list as ever but have been introduced to ‘build to rent’ as a new model of housing about which there is some scepticism as to how this will work. Developments also with provision only for cycles … but not cars…. Leith is not Amsterdam.
The future… well it is gradually going electric, yours truly trying to do his bit along with others in the neighbourhood. Tram works are looking more complete than they did one year ago. Works on our Lindsay Road now back to normal. Our new Victoria Primary School fully open, Heart of Newhaven in the old school building almost open with all the potential to be an iconic facility to have at the Heart of the whole Leith community. Sorry Edinburgh, but we will not let you claim this as yours…. This is a Leith success in the making.
Let me end this short report, as I was told to write it, with a wish that we can all stay safe and stay well. Look after your families, friends and your neighbours and welcome our visitors whether they arrive by land or sea. See you again in August.
Douglas J Tharby, Chair LHNCC, 28th June, 2022
9 Appendix 2: secretary’s report
9.a Planning Report
The strategic long term planning overview appears to be lacking in its approach to the type of community being created for the future of our area.
We are currently dealing with several major planning applications that are causing concern. This has not been helped by COVID-19 restrictions over last two years resulting in many delays in progress for some applications and an influx of new applications increasing our workload.
There is also a lack of attention being given to legislation regarding Listed buildings and Conservation areas adding to workload. We were also awaiting responses from Planning appeals, Planning Local Review Body and Breach of Planning applications that had also been delayed
The main concerns with some newer applications relate to:
9.a.i Sustainability and Carbon Neutral Progress
Developers avoiding this to cut costs and using ELDP 2016 legislation together with argument that there are insufficient Heat Networks available but there are other methods available including Heat Pumps.
9.a.ii Developers
Predominately PPI Hedgefunds focusing on Build to Rent (BTR) developments that may tend to attract niche market for 24 to 40 year young professionals as temporary step before moving on. It may also present tenure issues regarding the mid-market rental and affordable housing category that includes the elderly and disabled groups meaning some do not necessarily meet income eligibility if they have personal capital above £40,000 and would prefer to buy.
No knowledge of area and heritage and providing PAN applications and consultations through agents with the intention of selling on for large profit once FUL application approved without identified developer to take project forward.
9.a.iii Density & Height
There are other ways to meet density and high rise unattractive blocks squeezed into inappropriate spaces. Examples of this are prevalent in many EU countries who provide developments of mixed intergenerational communities and include a range of facilities that would be appropriate for 20 minute Neighbourhoods
Green space is compromised with most landscape plans predominately using paving and decking, some even using artificial grass. This, again, is about finance as it lowers maintenance costs.
9.b Community
Community Council and local residents views not generally listened to or accommodated
RSLs prefer their residents to be confined in specified blocks saying easier to manage, Tenure blind does not address this issue, they may look the same from outside bur are of a different standard inside and often segregated from main development with the site being transferred to SRLs, more profit for developers.
9.c Outcome
Building houses not homes!
Current developments underway, approved, completed or going through Planning Process:
Total to date 4414 Units, following 28 applications
9.d Completed
- GlenProp2: 200 Great Junction St. (Art Deco Cinema) 37 Units Private. Affordable (Commuted sumTo CEC)
- Forth Ports: Sandpiper Dr. North East Sandpiper Drive 40 Units Private
- New Victoria Primary School, 1 Windrush Drive
9.e Approved and underway
- Cala Waterfront Plaza: 319 units including (42) Mid-Market Rental/(42) Social Housing segregated from main site and sold to PoLHA for completion by Crudens builders
- Port of Leith Whisky Distillery: Adjacent to North of OT
- 1 Bath Road/Salamander St: Barratt’s 212 Units Private + Affordable
- 57 Tower St/1 Bath Rd: Barratt’s: 95 Private and 23 Affordable
- Victoria Swing Bridge – Restoration
9.f Approved not started
- S1 Skyliner Ocean Drive: 338 units BTR with Affordable, managed by Goodstone Living, currently awaiting approval for non-material changes. Skyliner
- 1-5 Baltic St.- 7-27Constitution St., Leith, 66 HMO apartments comprising 558 student bedrooms/18 affordable/2 Warden Flats. Sundial Properties. Sold to new developer HUB and Bridges Fund Management, HUB intends to reconfigure the proposal to deliver a residential-led scheme, comprising of BTR apartments with a variety of mixed commercial uses at ground floor level.awaiting revised planning application.
- Forth Ports (PSP Investments Canada): Western Harbour (2 Plots): 540 Units (BTR)
- 130 Constitution St: GA Group Ltd increase bedrooms from 25 to 32 extension to Hotel 130 Constitution St
9.g PAN/PPP (Planning Permission in Principal)/FUL – Consultations/Applications responded to:
- Salamander Street/Bath Road: 285 units BTR. Ryden Agent, owner G Russell (Haulage Ltd), developer not identified. Consultation April 2021. Revised planning application for non-material changes.
- Salamander Street (Russell – Transport)
- Rennie’s Isle: 205 units BTR Ryden Agent, owner/developer VRS Ltd & Union Property Services. Consultation May 2021, still awaiting FUL planning application
- Ocean Point 2: 293 units BTR, Developer Crosslane 74 available for affordable/mid market rent Consultation February 2022, awaiting FUL planning application. Ocean Point 2 – Crosslane
- Ocean Terminal: Phase 1 non residential – Phase 2 Housing later proposed high density BTR and affordable. Consultation completed – planning portal closing date 18/8/22
- Harbour 31: 800units BTR tbc Forth Ports. Consultation to be completed closing date Closing date 24/7/22. Planning portal closing date for comments 18/8/22. Harbour31 Forth Ports
- Linksview/Giles St: 35 CEC New Build Residential Units – Affordable housing Linksview/Giles St updated
- Western Harbour Drive: 615 Forth Ports. Mixed private and Park Western Harbour Drive Forth Ports
- Rennie’s Isle/Teuchters Landing: Forth Ports restoration. 1 Rennie’s Isle
- Hemmingway’s: Application for decking. Closing date 8/7/22. Hemmingways, 1 Commercial St
- 4 Industry Lane: 17 The Trustees of the John Weir Ltd. Industry Lane
9.h Breach of Planning
- Albert Dock: Forth Ports upheld but issues not adequately resolved to date
- Hemmingway’s, Commercial St: upheld and refused, removed 12 June 2022
- The Granary, The Shore: Frontage paint colour: upheld – planning application approved but not yet implemented
9.i Adjacent Applications (LLCC & LCCC) responded to these consultations/applications
- 9-21 Salamander St. Teague
- Salamander St/Salamander Yards. Crudens/Orbit
- 9 John’s Place: Kir
- 139 Leith Walk (Old Tram Depot). CW Properties, Cambay & CA
- The Bingo Hall, Manderston St: Planning Committee – Deputation for retention of Conservation status – approved
- Leith Links Masterplan (Final Draft) – Consultation closes 31/7/22
https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leith-links-masterplan
PAN Consultations and FUL application comments were completed and submitted for the majority of the above.
9.j Consultations responded to
9.j.i CEC/Leith Connections
- Leith Connections Phase 3 (closes 17/7/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leithconnectionsphase3/
- LeithConnections – CPZ (closed 12/11/21): https://www.pclconsult.co.uk/edinburghcpz/
- Leith Connections – Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (closed July 2021): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/low-traffic-neighbourhoods/supporting_documents/60592779_Leith%20Connections_Stage%202%20Report_V3.0_20210813.pdf
- Leith Links Masterplan (closes 31/7/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/leith-links-masterplan/
- Short Term Lets (closed 10/6/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/short-term-lets-2022/
- Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Proposals for Communities (closed 30/4/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/low-traffic-neighbourhoods/
- Coatfield Lane and Giles Street (Linksview) (closed 18/4/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/coatfieldlanegilesst2022/
- Leith Chooses (closed 24/1/22): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/cf/leith-chooses-2022/
- City Plan 2030 (closed 21/12/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/city-plan-2030/
- Short-Term Let Control Area (closed 5/11/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/short-term-let-consultation/
- Edinburgh Proposed Low Emission Zones (closed 2/9/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/low-emission-zone/
- Draft 2030 Climate Strategy (closed 12/9/21 – results updated 21/12/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/ce/2030-climate-strategy/
- City wide parking phase 4 (Closed 5/9/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/city-wide-parking-phase-4/
- Licensing of Sexual Entertainment Venues 2021 (closed 2/7/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/licensing-of-sexual-entertainment-venues-2021/
- City Wide Parking Phase 3 (closed 30/5/21): https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/copy-of-edinburgh-city-wide-parking-phase-3/
9.j.ii Scottish Government
- National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) 31/3/22: https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/draft-national-planning-framework-4/
- Local development planning (LDP) – regulations and guidance: consultation (closed 31/3/22): https://consult.gov.scot/planning-architecture/local-development-planning/
- Short Term Lets: Consultation on draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) 13/8/21: https://consult.gov.scot/housing-and-social-justice/short-term-lets-draft-licensing-order-and-bria/
- Local Place Plan Regulations consultation (25/6/21): https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/local-place-plan-regulations/
Jennifer Marlborough, LHNCC Secretary
10 Appendix 3: treasurer’s report and accounts for financial year 2021-2022
Our only source of Income is the City of Edinburgh Council Grant of £845.64 and a small amount of Quarterly Bank Interest on our Royal Bank of Scotland account.
As with the previous year, we have increased administrative expenses as we undertook to hold our regular meetings online as Covid – 19 Lockdown and other restrictions on number at indoor gatherings have prevailed for most of the year.
Our largest expenditure was the purchase of a laptop onto which all our records have been transferred.
We have received a good response to our virtual meetings and our hybrid meetings and our thanks is extended to the management of Ocean Terminal for the use of their video conferencing facilities. We had a number of guest presentations from developers and thank them for their time and for allowing ourselves and the wider community to ask questions of them.
We in turn paid our respects to the wider Leith community in the laying of poppy wreaths to commemorate the Gretna Rail disaster on May 22nd, The Armistice on November 11th and following the Scottish Seafarer’s Service on Sunday November 21st at the Merchant Nay Memorial opposite the Malmaison.
Douglas J Tharby, Treasurer, Leith Harbour & Newhaven Community Council, 28th June, 2022
10.a Income and Expenditure Account, As at 31st March, 2022 (draft)
| 2021-22 | 2020-21 | |
| INCOME | ||
| Grant | £845.64 | £845.64 |
| Interest (INT)) | £ 0.41 | £ 0.45 |
| Total Income | £846.05 | £846.09 |
|
EXPENDITURE |
||
| Online meeting | £159.29 | £172.68 |
| Minute production | £300.00 | £315.00 |
| VPS (Lights) | – | £ 32.00 |
| Memorial wreaths | £107.40 | £103.20 |
| Secretarial/website/ICO | £ 96.14 | £ 71.00 |
| Purchase of laptop computer | £599.00 | – |
| Total expenditure | £1,260.83 | £743.88 |
| Surplus (Deficit) | (£414.78) | £102.21 |
10.b Balance sheet as at 31st March 2022
| Current Assets | 2021-22 | 2020-21 |
| Cash at Bank | £430.63 | £845.41 |
We approve the Income and Expenditure Account, Balance Sheet and Bank Transactions. We confirm that we have made available all relevant records and information for their preparation.
| Douglas J Tharby | Jennifer Marlborough |
| Treasurer | Secretary |
10.c Accountant’s Report
To Leith Harbour & Newhaven Community Council
I have examined the financial statements on pages 1and 2 and confirm that the Accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with the books and records of the council.
David Kay, Accountant
10.d Bank Transactions
| Date | Item/Cheque | Description | DR | CR |
| 12/04 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 07/05 | 608 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 12/05 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 02/06 | 610 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 14/06 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 29/06 | Interest | £0.10 | ||
| 12/07 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 16/07 | BAC | CEC Grant | £845.64 | |
| 19/07 | 609 | Lady Haig/Wreaths | £107.40 | |
| 12/08 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 01/09 | 611 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 09/09 | 612 | Purchase of Laptop | £599.00 | |
| 13/09 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 23/09 | 613 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 29/09 | Interest | £0.15 | ||
| 12/10 | POS Zoom US | Online Meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 18/10 | 614 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 04/11 | 615 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 12/11 | POS Zoom US | Online meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 15/11 | POS Ionos | Website/Mail | £ 5.99 | |
| 13/12 | POS Zoom US | Online meeting | £ 5.99 | |
| 24/12 | 616 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 29/12 | POS Ionos | Website/Mail | £ 4.80 | |
| 30/12 | Interest | £0.09 | ||
| 12/01 | POS Zoom US | Online meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 13/01 | POS Ionos | Website/Mail | £ 5.99 | |
| 14/02 | POS Zoom | Online meeting | £ 14.39 | |
| 18/02 | 617 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 18/02 | 618 | Inform Comm | £ 35.00 | |
| 04/03 | 619 | Minutes | £ 30.00 | |
| 14/03 | POS Ionos | Website/Mail | £ 5.99 | |
| 24/03 | POS Ionos | Website/Mail | £ 14.40 | |
| 30/03 | Interest | £0.07 | ||
| 04/04 | 621 | Minutes | £ 30.00 |
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