consultations

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Consultation on revised Developer Contributions and Affordable Housing Guidance

(adapted from an email from Edinburgh Council planning department)

The Second Proposed Local Development Plan (LDP June 2014) sets out a new approach to developer contributions and the delivery of infrastructure linked closely with the second proposed Action Programme (Updated May 2105). The Action Programme sets out the infrastructure, including education, transport, and greenspace actions, required to help mitigate the impact of strategic and planned growth and to deliver the proposals identified within the Plan.

Policies Del1 (Developer Contributions) and Del2 (Retrospective Developer Contributions) of the Second Proposed Plan require developer contributions from any development if:

  1. It will have a net impact on infrastructure capacity; and
  2. It is necessary to mitigate that impact by providing additional capacity or otherwise improving existing infrastructure.

To support this new approach, planning guidance on how the Council collects Developer Contributions and the approach to Affordable Housing has been updated.

A questionnaire has been provided on the Consultation Hub – here, to guide you through the proposed changes. Responses to this consultation should be provided by Friday 25 September 2015.

If you have any queries regarding the consultation or the guidance please contact me on 0131 529 6232 or via emailkate.hopper@edinburgh.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Kate Hopper

Senior Planning Officer

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Planning and Building Standards – customer engagement

(Adapted from an email from Edinburgh Council Planning)
In June this year the Planning Committee approved a draft customer engagement strategy which explains how we intend to engage and communicate with all of our customers.  We are also proposing changes to our customer charter.  This sets out the level of service you should expect from us.These changes are due to a number of factors such as increasing demand, how our customers access the service and how we can continue to improve performance.We have two short surveys on the draft engagement strategy and our revised customer service charter and would appreciate your views on both.

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Edinburgh greenbelt: SESplan and Cockburn Association

You can directly respond to SESplan’s report here. If you do so, please respond as an individual, not on behalf of LHNCC.

However, the Cockburn Association says

The Cockburn Association (Edinburgh Civic Trust) is preparing its response for the 2nd South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan (SESplan2) Main Issues Report (MIR).

It would be most helpful if we could include your views on some of the key issues in our response.  These are outlined on the attached survey form.  Although the form requests a name/postcode, your views will not be attributed, as the intention is to collate and summarise the survey responses for inclusion in our representations on the MIR to the six Local Authorities that have prepared this plan, which include the City of Edinburgh Council.

If you are able to complete the survey, we would be grateful if you could return it to us by Friday 28 August 2015

Please download the CA’s survey from here.

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SESplan Main Issues Report Seminar Events

(Adapted from an email from SESplan – full email is here)

The impact population, household and economic growth will have on our countryside, infrastructure and communities is explored in the SESplan Main Issues Report.  With the second largest population growth in Scotland predicted by 2037 (220,000 more people and 25% more homes) there will be significant implications for wherever this new development is accommodated in the region.

SESplan launched the public consultation on Main Issues Report on the 21 July 2015.  The consultation aims to get as many people as possible interested in the future of the region and commenting on the issues.  The Main Issues Report asks key questions, the answers to which will shape the way our region looks, feels and functions for decades to come. The Main Issues Report represents your chance to influence the second strategic plan for the region.

As the consultation is gathering pace a range of events are taking place in the region and SESplan are encouraging people to come along to consultation events in their area to find out more.  Events include:

Community Events

Aimed at Community Councils, Community Groups and anyone looking to engage in discussions about the Main Issues Report (PDF).  These events feature an introduction on what SESplan is and what the Main Issues are followed by workshop based discussion.  Please let SESplan know if you want to attend contactus@sesplan.gov.uk.

The Edinburgh events are

  • Monday 24 August Community Event:  St Thomas Church Hall, Glasgow Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh 6-8pm
  • Thursday 27 August Community Event:  Waverley Court, East Market Street, Edinburgh 6-8pm
  • Wednesday 2 September Community Event:  Portobello Town Hall, Portobello High Street, Edinburgh 6-8pm
  • Thursday 3 September Community Event:  Waverley Court, East Market Street, Edinburgh 6-8pm
  • Wednesday 9 September Community Event:  Business Centre, City Chambers, Edinburgh 6-8pm

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Public toilet closures

(adapted from an email from Edinburgh Council – click for full text of that email: Public toilets)

Following consultation, we can advise that the toilets below will be closed over the following timescales:

  • Ardmillan – end of July 2015
  • Canaan Lane – end of July 2015
  • Canonmills – end of July 2015
  • Currie – end of July 2015
  • Granton Square – end of July 2015
  • Joppa – end of August 2015
  • Juniper Green – end of July 2015
  • London Road – end of August 2015
  • St John’s Road – end of August 2015
  • Tollcross – end of August 2015

The toilets at Hawes Pier and Middle Meadow Walk will not be closed at this time, while the options for these sites are reviewed.

To lessen the impact of the closures, the Council is establishing a Community Toilet Scheme with interested businesses across the city. This would result in participating businesses allowing members of the public to use their toilet facilities without expecting them to make a purchase, in exchange for an annual payment from the Council.

It is appreciated that there will be some impact following these closures. To help mitigate this, there have been over 60 additional toilet facilities identified in Council buildings around the city that are available for the public to use. These are located in various Libraries, Community Centres, Edinburgh Leisure facilities and Neighbourhood Offices, and information about these toilet facilities is available here on the Council’s website. Nearly 20 public toilets will remain open.

If you would like to make an enquiry about public toilet closures, please call 0131 529 3030 or email public.toilets@edinburgh.gov.uk.

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George Street quarterly public stakeholder meeting minutes – 15 June 2015

(Ian MacPhail also emailed ‘It’s been a genuine attempt to put grassroots stakeholders in charge. The fact there has been standing room only has been a testimony to how engaged people are.

Minutes of George Street Quarterly Public Stakeholder Meeting

Date – 15 June 2015, Venue – West Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh

Chair & Minutes – Iain MacPhail, City of Edinburgh Council, City Centre Programme Manager       Contact Email – iain.macphail@edinburgh.gov.uk

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  • This is the 3rd quarterly meeting of the group. All are welcome, including members of the public with no other form of affiliation (other than a wish to see George Street achieve its potential). As with the two previous meetings there was a full house in attendance, which is testimony to the passion, commitment and level of engagement of the participants, and sheds light on the importance of the street and in helping it to achieve its potential.
  • Those present included a wide array of representatives including some from the local Community Council, heritage bodies, sustainable transport groups, disability groups, individual business interests, the local Business Improvement District, Council officials, bus companies, taxi firms, cyclists, the emergency services, and members of the public.

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  • The purpose of the year’s trial on George Street has been to test out the impacts on George Street (and on surrounding streets) when there is additional space given over to pedestrians, cyclists and for activity (not only during the summer and winter festivals, but year-round).
  • The Council has made strenuous efforts to make this the most transparent and grassroots-led project in the city. This can be seen in three key areas, related to the research package.

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Edinburgh Council report – City Centre Public Spaces Manifesto update

(adapted from an email from Katie Swann, Partnership Development Officer)

In November 2013 the Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee approved a Review of Events Governance. One of the recommendations was that a report would be submitted to Committee, setting out a revised application and approval process for event organisers and to provide clarity about the process for other stakeholders. This process is already defined for the city’s green spaces in the Parks and Greenspaces Events Manifesto.
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City of Edinburgh proposed 20mph speed limit

(adapted from a post on Leith Links CC’s website)
In accordance with the terms of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, I write to inform you that the City of Edinburgh Council proposes to advertise the Traffic Regulation Order which will create zones in Edinburgh within which vehicle speeds will be limited to 20 mph at all times. Further information on the 20 mph speed limits, including a map of the 20 mph network, is available on the Council’s websites at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/20mph and www.edinburgh.gov.uk/trafficorders or at www.tellmescotland.gov.uk. If you do not have internet access you can view this information online at your local library or Neighbourhood Office.

Should you wish to submit an objection to the proposal, please do so by 26 June 2015, quoting notice reference number TRO/15/17.

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final meeting of the quarterly George Street Stakeholder Group

(adapted from an email from Iain MacPhail | City Centre Programme Manager)
 
Dear all,
Please consider this email to be an invitation to the final meeting of the quarterly George Street Stakeholder Group.
When: 15 June 2015 10:00-12:00 (UTC) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London.
Where: Assembly Rooms, Drawing Room
 
All are welcome, including members of the public, and anyone with an interest in the future of George Street. Please do forward this invitation on to anyone you feel may wish to contribute.

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Public toilet closures: which would **you** close?

(with thanks to Leith Links CC for alerting us to this issue. The text below is adapted from a page on Edinburgh Council’s consultation hub.)

Edinburgh Council has taken a step back from implementing a £600,000 reduction for the Public Conveniences budget, which would have resulted in the closure of 22 public toilets across the city.

However, a budget decision was taken in 2011 to remove £300,000 from the service budget within the 2015/2016 financial year. This means that around 10 public toilets will still need to be closed. You can tell Edinburgh Council what you think by answering a survey. (Please note the survey opens on Monday 13 April.)