LHNCC April 2024 minutes

Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council ordinary meeting, held at Custom House, on Tuesday 23 April 2024 at 6:30pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. Nem con means that no-one spoke or voted against an item.

1 Introductions and attendance

Elaine Dick	LHNCC	Jason Ran	LHNCC	Bruce Ryan	minutes secretary
Don Giles	LHNCC	Douglas Tharby	LHNCC	Cllr Katrina Faccenda	Leith ward
Anna Khlibodarova	NTBCC	Arthur Young	LHNCC	1 resident/visitor

1.a Apologies for absence

Jim Preacher	LHNCC	Cllr Adam Nols-Mcvey	Leith ward
Frank Geoghegan-Quinn	LHNCC	Deidre Brock MSP	Edinburgh North and Leith
Neil Tulloch	LHNCC	Acting Sergeant Chris Casselden	Police Scotland
Cllr Chas Booth	Leith ward

2 Declarations of interest

Item 7.a.iv: E Dick lives next door to the Albert Dock railings.

3 Minutes of March 2024 meeting

Approved subject to removing 2^nd action from item 11 (proposed D Tharby, seconded A Young, nem con)

4 Matters arising (not covered below or carried forward)

Action: E Dick to set up LHNCC email address for A Khlibodarova.
Action: D Tharby to keep on monitoring LHNCC secretary email account while F Geoghegan-Quinn is unwell.
- F G-C now has the LHNCC laptop, so is able to access this account from it.
There will be a presentation on festivals and scheme at EACC on Thursday evening.
LHNCC members to use the LHNCC group emailing list

5 Residents’ issues advised prior to the meeting

5.a Traffic problems on Henderson Street

No speaker, hence no discussion.

6 Police report

See report on LHNCC website.

7 Standing reports

7.a Planning and licensing

7.a.i Seafield update

No report, hence no discussion

7.a.ii Harbour 31

There has been an application for planning permission in principle for residential and commercial use near Bath Rd. There is a concern that the area is susceptible to flooding. (Another LHNCC member disagreed.) I have asked for time for LHNCC to respond.
- E Dick: LHNCC needs to ensure that any planning comment it makes is representative of community opinions.
- Actions: D Tharby to ask for public exhibition, LHNCC to publicise this event (and hence sample public opinion)

7.a.iii Western Harbour Ponds, PAN

E Dick: a campaign group is collecting biodiversity information, and seeks to secure the site for biodiversity.
- Cllr Faccenda: petitions such as the one on this topic have no hard power over local authorities’ planning decisions.

7.a.iv Albert Dock railings

E Dick: Forth Ports (FP) replaced the ‘chain and bollards’ fence (C&B) with panels fence after a child fell through the C&B into the dock, but did so without planning permission. The area is listed.) Retrospective permission was refused, so FP has submitted a further application with a different design of panel and chains. This is not a ‘strategic’ approach to safety, and is piecemeal, according to objectors. Hence LHNCC has submitted an objection, as have ~10 others.
- D Giles: people should accept the risks of being, and control children, near water.
- Cllr Faccenda: there is a need to obey conservation area/planning rules.
- Action: E Dick to supply submitted objection for LHNCC website.

7.a.v Tower Place

E Dick: there is an application for planning permission at the industrial units near the post office.
- Action: LHNCC to look into what is being proposed.

7.b Transport

7.b.i Trams

This week’s transport and Environment Committee will receive an important report on the trams to Newhaven project. EBUG, CCTT and others will make deputations. Having walked through the route with E Dick, I will also speak. There are many outstanding defects, and lack of action on Discovery Gardens. (See also item 7.c.ii.)

7.b.ii Buses

The Edinburgh Bus Users Group AGM will be on 6 June.

7.b.iii Leith Connections

D Tharby: there is a report on the next phase, which will restrict access to Henderson St. There will be leafletting on this.

7.c Environment and green space

7.c.i Water of Leith Basins Stakeholder Group

D Giles: sewage and silt have been affecting the basins for years, but CEC believes that no action is needed. Hence the MSP is trying to get things done. I am concerned insufficient sewage is planned for the proposed developments, and about uncertainty on who is responsible for the buddleia and walls. During heavy rainfall, fresh water is entering the sewage system, causing overflows and hence activation of CSOs and hence algal blooms. CSOs are not being monitored.
- E Dick: analysis of the silt is needed. Water of Leith trust will investigate debris in Water of Leith.

7.c.ii Discovery Gardens

E Dick: much of the ground has been heavily impacted, destroying the turf. Hedging has died and trees are still missing. The current proposals are unsuitable.
- Cllr Faccenda: LHNCC should pressure the TEC convenor (Cllr Arthur). Relevant work would not be costly. Greenspace issues around the trams are being drowned out by other issues.
- Action: E Dick/LHNCC to brief Cllr Arthur, and pressure via CCTT.

7.d Heritage

7.d.i Leith Culture and Heritage Group update

E Dick: there has been a meeting about the Kinetica project: banners about Leith are to be displayed at the jazz festival.

7.d.ii Pride bridge

D Tharby: drawings of the potential refurbishment are now available at https://twitter.com/ThePrideBridge.
- Cllr Faccenda: this refurbishment would make a large, welcome contribution to local public space.
- Action: J Ran to ask a representative of Dreadnaught pub to present to LHNCC in May on the Pride bridge.

7.d.iii Paolozzi mural

E Dick: Lamb House is creating a new portrait to replace the original, mouldering one. Crowdfunding is being sought.

7.e Community

7.e.i North East Locality Community Planning Partnership, LIP development update

No points raised.

7.e.ii Review of Edinburgh Community Council scheme and boundaries

D Tharby: Bill Roger is coordinating EACCs response.

8 Edinburgh’s proposed local development plan – City Plan 20230 – report of examination

D Tharby: Scottish Government has approved CP2030, but now withdrawn various relevant climate policies.
- Cllr Faccenda: a major impact of CP2030 will be reduction of profitability of purpose-built student accommodation.
- Action: Cllr Faccenda to ask a CEC planner to present on implications to LHNCC.

9 Edinburgh City Councillors’ reports

9.a Cllr Faccenda

I am concerned about local bank branches closing, especially when this is decided without local consultation. They are important for people who are not online, and provide protection for vulnerable people who are being forced to make large withdrawals.
- E Dick: banking hubs may help in the absence of permanent bank branches.
TEC will receive a report on prioritisation of work on roads and pavements. This ward is being run down, and has much multiple deprivation, and yet is deprioritised. CEC’s budget has more money for roads and pavements, so there should be improvements.
CEC budgets £1m per year for setted streets, so refurbishes 1. The next is Lawnmarket. Salamander Place also needs work.
- J Ran: the Shore is badly in need of work – it’s very dangerous.
- E Dick: utility companies are not properly reinstating work-sites.
- D Giles: laying of concrete topped with re-used setts lasts well, except where poor subsequent work causes problems.
- Action: Cllr Faccenda to raise the Shore’s poor state at TEC.
Changes to UK constituency boundaries are proposed, including moving Leith into another constituency.

10 Local MSPs’ and MP’s reports

No MSP or MP present, hence no reports.

11 LHNCC treasurer’s report

D Tharby: bank balance £732·79 including £3·26 interest. LHNCC’s bank branch will close, so LHNCC may move its account.

12 EACC update

No discussion

13 AOCB

D Giles: what will happen to the recent construction at Hemingways?
A resident: there will be a Living Rent ‘town hall’ on 10 May (6:30) at Duncan Place
D Tharby: LHNCC’s May meeting will be at Custom House and its AGM (June) will probably be at Heart of Newhaven. LHNCC members should forward him potential agenda items. There will also be a separate business meeting at a different date.