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MERCHISTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL Draft Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday, 15 June 2004 at 7.00pm at the Eric Liddell Centre. (The meeting followed a presentation on the Draft Fountainbridge Development Brief by Andrew Sikes, Principal Planning Officer at The City of Edinburgh Council. Report attached.) 1.0 Chairperson's Welcome Bridget Stevens (Chair) welcomed those present: James Geekie, John Lennie, Cllr George Hunter, Fiona Mitchell, Chris Sharman, Derek Ainsley (Treasurer), Robin Morris (Secretary) and Janice Laxton (Minutes Secretary). 2.0 Apologies for Absence Cllrs Tritton and O'Malley, Derek Ainsley, Frances Hawarden, Colin Young, William Mykura. 3.0 Minutes of Last Meeting held on 16 March 2004 These were approved. 4.0 Matters Arising 4.1 Advertising of MCC Meetings and Communication Desmond Hodges has drawn up a consultation paper with suggestions on better communication. Fiona Mitchell and James Geekie agreed to set up a working group with him to take this issue further. They will report back to the next meeting. It was agreed that Bridget Stevens should make up a recruitment poster to display in the MCC notice board at the Eric Liddell Centre, along with photographs of the canal benches and awards ceremony of the recent children's art competition. Chris Sharman will display a MCC poster in the notice board at Harrison Park. 4.2 Association of Community Councils/Calor Gas Competition It was agreed Bridget Stevens should put in an entry for MCC into this nation wide competition which is associated with a TV programme scheduled for the autumn. 5.0 Treasurer's Report In Derek Ainsley's absence due to illness, Robin Morris presented the accounts, which currently stand at £5,262.46. The annual grant from the City of Edinburgh Council is late in coming through. Due to the formation of three new community councils in the city, it will be slightly lower this year, approx £950. £250 for the bookmarks is still to be deducted. The MCC wished Derek Ainsley a speedy recovery. 6.0 Other Reports 6.1 Police Report Inspector Nisbet explained that, in addition to the planned new city-wide Police newsletter, Howdenhall will continue to publish their local, more detailed bulletin. Bridget Stevens will write to the Chief Constable to commend the local bulletin. It is hoped it will be distributed through local libraries. The city-wide newsletter will be available on community council websites, in pdf form to facilitate easy downloading. There have been many complaints about the new call centre at Bilston Glen, due to technical problems and understaffing. Forty extra people have now been taken on. However, members of the public can still contact Howdenhall Police Station directly from 7.00 am - 11.00 pm daily. Tel: 0131 662 2222. The Police continue to support existing Neighbourhood Watch groups and to encourage the setting up of new ones. Conferences are planned for after the summer for those interested and the directory of neighbourhood watch groups across the city is being updated. Car crime continues to be a major problem, but until custodial sentences are introduced, there is little the Police can do about it. The Police are considering antisocial behaviour orders for persistent begging outside cash dispensers. Three arrests have been made in our area in recent weeks. It is still unclear whether or not Colin Young is representing MCC at Crime Prevention Panel meetings. Bridget Stevens thanked Inspector Nisbet for his attendance and for the bulletin. 6.2 South Edinburgh Local Development Committee No one from MCC attended the last meeting in May. The topic for the next meeting on 28 June 2004 will be 20mph Zones. Bridget Stevens and possibly also John Lennie will attend. 6.3 Local Environmental Forum A report by Frances Hawarden of the last meeting of this group was distributed. It was noted with satisfaction that Derek Bryant is being retained as Manager of Merchiston Environmental Task Force on a short-term contract. Thirty people have been fined for litter offences in Merchiston in recent weeks. 6.4 City Development and Transport Neighbourhood Group Bridget Stevens and Chris Sharman will attend next meeting on 23 June 2004. 6.5 Planning Applications Greenhill Park Plan to demolish a villa and build three houses in its place. Chris Sharman will liaise with Robin Morris before making a response. Ettrick Road/Colinton Road A pelican crossing will be built opposite the exit to George Watson's College. Robin Morris will write commending this decision, and ask that children be encouraged to use the crossing. 6.6 Licensing Applications No report. 7.0 AOCB 7.1 Gilmore Place - Appraisal Desmond Hughes attended last meeting of Tollcross Community Council. It is hoped that Gilmore Place will be designated as a conservation area. He and Chris Sharman will act as MCC representatives. 7.2 Cockburn Association Meeting on Third Party Rights of Appeal to be held at 7.00pm on 5 July 2004 at the Quaker Meeting House. Desmond Hodges to attend for MCC. 7.3 People Against Litter Robin Morris has joined this new group and will keep MCC informed. Details available from him. 7.4 Friends of Harrison Park Inaugural meeting to be held at 7.15pm on 24 June 2004 at Craiglockhart Primary School. The donation of £30.00 from MCC was gratefully received. 7.5 Edinburgh Community Councils Joint Meeting Chris Sharman will attend next meeting on 21 June 2004. 8.0 Date and Information of Next Meeting Tuesday, 21 September 2004. Topic to be finalised. -----------REPORT-------------- DRAFT FOUNTAINBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT BRIEF Presentation by Andrew Sikes Principal Planning Officer City of Edinburgh Council Scottish and Newcastle plc will shortly be closing their Fountainbridge brewery. Together with the City of Edinburgh Council, they commissioned AMA Architects to draw up a draft brief for the redevelopment of the 32 hectare site. It is proposed that the area be developed into a new 'urban village' with a diverse mix of uses including residential, commercial, retail, cultural and leisure. A range of housing is planned, including family accommodation, a significant proportion of which will be affordable housing. Car-parking (one space per flat for mainstream housing, and a lower ratio for affordable housing) will be provided underground. A site for the rebuilding of Boroughmuir High School has been earmarked - like all new school buildings, it will be built to accommodate a total of 1200 pupils. The Western Approach Road and Fountainbridge will be transformed into wide tree-lined boulevards for pedestrians while improved cycle paths will be provided for cyclists. Open spaces and gardens will further enhance the appearance of the area. Another focal point will be provided by the canal basin where British Waterways plan to build extra moorings. Although there is no legal right to a view, a restriction on the height of new buildings will protect existing skylines as far as possible. The Council is aware of problems with some of the existing buildings in the Fountainpark complex and hopes that it will be possible to negotiate a change of use with the owners. Detailed plans and indicative sketches are available for viewing at the Planning Department office in Cockburn Street and are also available on the City of Edinburgh Council website www.edinburgh.gov.uk (under Planning). Members of the public are invited to comment on this draft before it goes to the Planning Committee on 5 September 2004. (Merchiston Community Council will be preparing a response - advised by Desmond Hodges.) |
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