MINUTES: 17 JANUARY 2006, 28 FEBRUARY 2006, 19 APRIL 2006, 30 MAY 2006, 4 JULY 2006, 22^ND AUGUST 2006, 10^TH OCTOBER 2006; 21^ST NOVEMBER 2006; 30^TH JANUARY 2007; 13^TH MARCH 2007; 8^TH MAY 2007; 19^TH JUNE 2007; 21^ST AUGUST 2007; 9^TH OCTOBER 2007

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HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT GROUP

MINUTES OF MEETING OF HOUSING & ENVIRONMENT SUB-GROUP ON TUESDAY 9^TH OCTOBER 2007 AT HAYS COMMUNITY Business Centre, HAY AVENUE, Edinburgh.

PRESENT:

Norrie Davies (Chair) - Community Regeneration Forum

Cllr Maureen Child - City of Edinburgh Council

James Lang - Craigmillar Castle Residents Group

James Cameron - Hunter’s Hall

Susan Carr - Craigmillar Neighbourhood Alliance

Jan Myerthall - Community Regeneration Forum

Gillian Armstrong - CEC Development & Regeneration

Sarah Bryson - CEC Development & Regeneration

David Stevenson - CEC Services for communities - East

John Quinn - PARC

Pete Gregson - CEC Housing & Development

Lynne Morris - Castle Rock / Edinvar HA

Hannah Williamson - Castle Rock / Edinvar HA

Liam Smith - Fort Kinnaird

Graeme Kerr - Halliday Fraser Munro

Alex Sneddon - Steer Davies Gleave

Carol Clydesdale - Craigmillar Neighbourhood Alliance

Pauline Steel - Craigmillar Neighbourhood Alliance

John Palmer - Craigmillar Partnership

Graham Rowan - Craigmillar Partnership

1. APOLOGIES

Gus Meechan - Craigmillar Community Council

Jenny Hargreaves - CEC Countryside Ranger Service

Neil Ross - Places for People

Charles Cumming - Edinburgh & Lothian Greenbelt Trust

2. MINUTES OF MEETING OF 21^st AUGUST 2007

The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

3. MATTERS ARISING

3.1 Timestone Proposal

Gus e-mailed he would shortly be progressing further community consultation, with a view to submitting a planning application.

3.2 Castlebrae CHS

Gus e-mailed that the Parent Council had written to CEC with five main points, based on best value for money, about the proposals to rationalise school provision.

3.3 Maintenance of Housing Developments

Lynne accepted they had not recently publicised the dates of their walkabouts; she advised they would now do so through their tenant newsletters. Rather than expecting Housing Officers to know what is best, their policy is to involve tenants to help improve standards.

4. FORT KINNAIRD

Liam presented British Land’s proposals to extend and improve Fort Kinnaird. It has made a planning application to remove the tea factory, the cinema, bowling alley and two restaurants. This would create a new retail terrace with space for up to 24 different retailers.

It proposes pedestrianising Newcraighall Road at the point where the two parts of the site come closest together and building a bus terminus plus two restaurants in that central spot. Cars will still be able to drive between the two parts, but the idea is to improve the landscaping and footpaths so customers just park and then walk around the whole area.

It anticipates demolishing the tea factory in early January, re-possessing the other buildings also in January and demolishing them in March. Construction would then start towards the end of the year.

The new retailers would increase traffic; it has already increased since M&S opened in June and these proposals would add an extra 650 car spaces. It proposes to deal with the traffic by improving the ‘dumb-bell’ roundabouts at the bottom of the A1 and the McDonald’s roundabout. Through traffic would turn left at this, go round the south side of the site to a roundabout at the entrance to the southern, ‘Fort’ part of the park, then swing left along a new road that would skirt the development, go through the new housing developments to be built on the bing and exit onto the Wisp. It would then go right and then left, if required, at an improved junction with Niddrie Mains Road. This would mean cutting 20 or 30 metres off the Jack Kane site.

In answer to a question Liam said he thought the housing developments were being done by Barratt Homes (on the Edinburgh side) and Miller Homes (in Midlothian) and that British Land was working with them to do the road improvements. Residents would still have access, but general traffic would probably be stopped by a system of ‘bus gates’ as at Asda. He understood they were happy with these proposals.

He did not know whether residents of Newcraighall village had been consulted. Susan commented these proposals are to re-arrange the traffic within Fort Kinnaird, but have no effect on the roads on either side of it. Pete on the other hand thought people would be less likely to use this road and Niddrie Mains Road as an inner city by-pass, to get to other parts of south Edinburgh from the A1, and would continue further into the city along Willowbrae Road.

Liam said BL proposes to build a bus terminus at the central point with toilets and a proper shelter. It would expect the bus service to maintain its current route, going through the park and on. They are also negotiating with Lothian Regional Transport for an additional bus service.

5 PARC REPORT

John Quinn reported:

• The joint Primary schools would be completed by May 2008 ready for entry in August.
• Wauchope Phase 1: This is on site, building 63 homes. The trees on Niddrie Mains Road are about to be cut down, to be replaced by new trees in November.
• Wauchope Phase 7 is due to start in November.
• Wauchope Phase 2, of 115 houses, is due to start in November. There will be 17 units for CR/E and possibly 4-6 more on the replacement Brenda House plot.
• Wauchope Phase 8: Consultation has started with a public meeting being held on 18^th October. The majority of the 50-60 houses would be affordable.
• Greendykes Phase B: They have started infrastructure works. They are still discussing Section 75 agreements with CEC for all phases. Susan commented this is taking rather a long time. John replied there have been many issues to resolve, and a number of different developers, and so it has been a learning experience for all. They have now nearly agreed.

A number of issues were raised about the construction sites – access to the CR/E car park; access along site roads; the new information suite being developed. John replied these should be raised with Bill Armstrong, Construction Manager or at the Craigmillar Regeneration Monitoring Group that Pete Gregson administered.

5.1 Meadows Consultation

A consultation exercise had been held at the end of August. There was a good attendance, particularly from the RIE, which showed staff there wished to use the area. The company who conducted the exercise would produce a report for the December Board.

5.2 Town Centre Consultation

The first stage has now been completed, with unfortunately a poor attendance at open days. Broadway Malyan then decided to speak to people on the street and got a better response. People did not recognise the concept of the ‘Town Centre’ – they thought that referred to the centre of Edinburgh. They have also made presentations to local groups.

Pete said they would come back with an initial plan in November and are trying to find other ways of meeting people. They are considering having their proposals, with people to speak about them, in the reception area of the Housing office from 22^nd November for a week. It was thought they would be unlikely to get many visitors on a Saturday. It was important however to have people on the street, inviting passers-by in.

Pete added they would put a notice in the Chronicle and Housing Association newsletters. Leaflets had not worked – they had delivered 4,500 to every household for the first stage and got no response. They had asked about using the CBP notice boards, but had not got a response.

5.3 Transport Issues

Alex Sneddon introduced himself, saying his company was advising Broadway Malyan on the Town Centre proposals and were particularly preparing a transport assessment from Craigmillar Castle Road to Wauchope Square. The main issue is how to make Niddrie Mains Road a more local road and not an inner-city ring road.

He commented the Fort Kinnaird proposals, as described earlier, would have opposing effects. Making the route from the A1 more convoluted would deter traffic, while the new developments would increase traffic.

They were examining the impact of re-widening the road by introducing bus lanes; the issues are whether by speeding up the traffic the road becomes more hazardous to cross and cuts the community in half. Through traffic, which can stop easily, is also important for local retailers. Broadway Malyan is also considering a civic square between the High school and the proposed supermarket; the road would have to fit in with this.

James asked about just putting cut-ins at bus stops; Alex said LRT were opposed because they made it difficult for buses to get back into the traffic flow. Bus lanes also do not apply on Sundays when the road is busiest. John Palmer asked why they could not be made to apply on Sunday. Sarah said she understood CEC was seeking to harmonise the operation of all bus lanes, but this could possibly be considered.