Agenda for MSCC meeting on We 28 September 2016 at 7:30pm

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will hold its monthly regular meeting on We 28 September 2016. 

The meeting will take place in our usual venue of St Catherine's Argyle Church Halls on Beaufort Road/ Grange Road. The meeting will start at 7:30pm.

This will be our first meeting of 16/17.  The next meeting after this one will be We 26 October 2016. 

All who live or work in the area are most welcome to attend 

A G E N D A

 1                  Sederunt and apologies

 2                  Draft Minutes of last meeting, 22 Jun 2016, and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)

·     Pedestrian route on Beaufort Road

·     Public toilets

·     Pothole patching

·     Marchmont & Sciennes Trader’s Funds

·     Planters at foot of Marchmont Road

 3                  Police Report

 4                  Meadows & Bruntsfield Links:

·     Update from Mike Shields

·     Progress with Jawbones’ return

 5                  City council Councillor report on currently topical issues

Items for discussion

 6                  Planning applications

                  - Process for applications to modify/ remove trees

                  - Next steps with redevelopment of RHSC (Sick Kids) site

 7                  Community Council elections/ co-options

 8                  Seagull nesting

 9                  Grange Road Crossings

10                  Leaflet delivery

11                  Rising rolls at local schools

12                  Christmas Tree Lighting event

13                  My worst roads – request from Daniel Johnson MSP

For info:

14                  Treasurer's report

15                  Meetings attended

                  - South Central Neighbourhood Partnership

                  - Edinburgh Southern Community Council Planning Officers meeting

16                  Marchmont Road crossing

17                  24 Bus

18                  AOCB

19                  Date of next meeting: 26 October 2016

Note of public meeting about Redevelopment of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) site

The meeting was held at the Church of the German Speaking Congregation on Tu 13 Sep starting at 19:30

Douglas Rogers welcomed around 100 people to the meeting and outlined the Agenda.  Alastair Philp added his welcome on behalf of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council. Ian Murray MP and Miles Briggs MSP had sent apologies. Daniel Johnson MSP and Cllr Steve Burgess were present, and Cllr Cameron Rose arrived during the meeting.

David Wood from PAS (Planning Aid for Scotland) gave a short introduction to PAS, which provides impartial advice and training on the planning process for local communities. He also spoke about how community engagement in planning can be assisted by the use of 'Charrettes' and described PAS’s Charretteplus approach.  The 'Charrette' process uses intensive community-design workshops to develop a shared vision.

Charles Campion from JTP then spoke. He outlined how the 'Charrette' process (including site visit, drop-ins and 2 days of workshops) had been used for redevelopment of a former hospital site in London. Experts had facilitated the process and when the eventual planning application was considered by the Planning Committee it was passed unanimously.

Stewart Adams from NHS Lothian then explained the approach to be taken in selling the RHSC site. The site will be marketed now (as a single site) with initial offers invited by Christmas, and final offers early in 2017. A developer will then be selected, and they will continue the planning process.  Community Engagement is starting now, with this meeting, and will continue, involving the developer when one is chosen.

Richard Slipper, from GVA James Barr (acting as planning consultant for NHS Lothian) shared the proposed plan for pre-planning activities.  He is compiling a 'position statement' that will summarise relevant planning 'facts' including what the local development plan says, constraints on the site due to listed buildings and the site being in a conservation area.  This 'position statement' will also include initial community views: to gather these there will be a public workshop in November (date to be set; involving local groups including MSCC).  The 'position statement' will help to develop a list of criteria that can be used as part of the developer selection process.

Laura Bird from Sciennes Primary Parent Council asked that the planning and engagement process considers how more playground space could be found for the school.  Perhaps by limiting traffic on Sciennes Road in front of the school to pedestrians and cyclists and enlarging the existing community woodland strip.

Elizabeth Cumming from the Mansfield Traquair Trust spoke about the Phoebe Traquair murals (picture 1 and picture 2) on the site in the current mortuary. These are class A listed. Some are painted directly onto lathe and plaster but some were moved to the site from another location in 1894 and are deliberately embedded in boxes. The murals are fragile and must be protected during construction. National Museums of Scotland would help with any fund raising.

Then Stuart Irvin, the Minister at St Catherine's Argyle asked us to consider, as we ponder redevelopment options, the fact that the hospital has been the site of many personal tragedies as well as triumphs.  He also made a plea for affordable housing to ensure a rich mix of ages of resident.

The meeting concluded with a question and answer session, including:

• There was concern that a developer might not take notice of community views. Hard to predict until they are chosen.
• Could affordable housing be constructed that is externally indistinguishable from 'posh flats'
• Daniel Johnson MSP asked if NHS Lothian would fund a Charrette process. They have no current plans to do full 'Charrette' but would engage if a planned funding application to Scottish Government is successful. They do commit to a 3 hour workshop in November.  In a quick poll of the meeting most said they'd like to take part in a 'Charrette' process if there was one.
• Could there be a stipulation on chosen developer to run a 'Charrette' process? This is in theory possible but would have to be paid for from proceeds of sale. It was pointed out (by Charles Campion) that a 'Charrette' can save a developer money if it smooths passage of the planning application.
• Could developer be compelled to leave public space? Always a balance between routes through a site and resident's privacy.
• Could there be 'meanwhile uses' if the site is vacant? Intention is for developer to develop as soon as NHS Lothian vacate (in spring/summer 2018) but could perhaps be considered by developer if there's a delay.
• Could property be transferred from NHS Lothian to City of Edinburgh Council for Sciennes School? NHS Lothian need to maximise money they make from sale on behalf of Scottish Government who get the money from the half of the site they own [the other half is owned by the Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation who have agreed a joint sale with NHS Lothian].

Redevelopment of the Sick Kids site: Public meeting at 7:30pm on Tu 13 Sep

A public meeting will be held on Tu 13 Sep at 7:30pm in the Church of the German Speaking Congregation on Chalmers Crescent.  See the poster below.

update: [more news on plans for the redevelopment is now available]

Review of children’s hospital services in Lothian: your chance to comment

Following problems with keeping St John’s children’s ward open overnight during the summer; NHS Lothian has invited the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to conduct a review of children’s hospital services at St John’s and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children to identify a sustainable way forward.  

The Review team is visiting the area during January 2015 and February 2016 and they want to hear people’s views both as users of the services and from stakeholders such as Action for Sick Children.  

An online survey has been designed and a series of focus groups with members of the public and key stakeholders will be held on 10-11 February (people can sign up for these at the end of the survey, or by making direct contact with the team)

NHS Lothian: Health link newsletter - Summer 2010 edition

Ten paper copies of the summer 2010 edition of NHS Lothian's Health Link newspaper have arrived with the secretary with a request to circulate them to community councillors. Among other interesting features it contains articles on: a new unit for faster x-rays; the benefits of gardening, and on plans for a new birthing centre.  

New concept designs for the new Sick Kids are also now available.

If anyone wishes one of the paper copies please get in touch with the secretary.

Sick Kids is 150

The Evening News today has a piece about the 150th anniversary of the Sick Kids Hospital including a little history and some details on the new hospital due to open in 2013 at Little France.


Many of the details are those which Colin Briggs (Service Manager for Children's Services in NHS Lothian) gave us in his presentation to the MSCC meeting on Wed 10 Feb.


Cameron Rose has also posted a short note of some of the key points from Colin's talk.

Sick Kids Reprovision Project

Can be found here:
http://groups.google.com/group/marchmontandsciennes/web/Reprovision+Project+Newsletter+2.pdf

Sick Kids Site – What Now?

Sciennes Primary School Community in association with Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council are holding a public meeting, entitled "Sick Kids Site – What Now?" to discuss the lack of accommodation at Sciennes Primary School, and the possible uses of the Sick Kids Hospital Site when the Hospital moves in 2012.

Sciennes Primary School Board and Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council are keen to canvass the views of the community on what it would like to see replace the Sick Kids Hospital. Please come along to the meeting.

The meeting will be on Wednesday 14th March at 7.30pm (finishing 8.30pm) at Sciennes Primary School.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to contribute or to be kept informed, please contact the School: email headteacher@sciennes.edin.sch.uk or MSCC: email Melaniemain@btinternet.com or tel 07775 665499.