Final version of Summary of Collective Views of the Community (on RHSC) published by MSCC

NHS Lothian have confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers for the current RHSC site will be 9 February 2017.

Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

After considering comments on a draft 'Summary of Collective Views of the Community', and discussing the document at a meeting, on 5 Jan, with NHS Lothian, we have produced a final version .

This final version of collective community views produced by MSCC will be added to the final 'position statement', being completed by GVA in mid January for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).

The collective views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers.

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

Draft Summary of Collective Views (on RHSC) published by MSCC

NHS Lothian have confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers will be 9 February 2017.

Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

In response to a 'position statement' (including community views expressed at a public meeting; see previous post), MSCC have produced a draft 'summary of collective views'; 6 page PDF).   

MSCC will meet with NHS Lothian on Th 5 January to present this draft document and discuss next steps.

The collective MSCC views will be added to the final 'position statement', being completed by GVA in mid January for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).  

The MSCC views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers. 

Please comment below if there is anything you think we have missed from the draft 'summary of collective views'.  Or e-mail pagsk2017@gmail.com. 

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

[updated on 4 Jan to include screen shot of document cover and add detail on closing date from previous blog post]

Please comment on a report of the public engagement meeting on 16 Nov about RHSC redevelopment

update, 3 Jan 2017: MSCC have produced a draft 'summary of collective views')

The report of the public engagement meeting on 16 Nov about RHSC redevelopment is now available  [as Appx 3].

This is a report that contributes to the community views section of a 'pre-application position statement' that’s been prepared by NHS Lothian's planning advisors (GVA) for NHS Lothian. 

We are interested in gathering your responses to the report, whether you were at the meeting or not: we are keen to know what you feel about the development of this site at the heart of our community.

Please add your comments on the report below or e-mail them to pagsk2017@gmail.com.  

Comments will be used, along with those already expressed, to shape a set of MSCC views.  These collective MSCC views will be added to the final ‘position statement’, being completed by GVA for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).  The MSCC views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers.  A final draft of the ‘position statement’ is now available.

The 'position statement' also contains details about i] formal planning constraints and ii] heritage considerations (listed buildings, conservation area etc). Developers will be asked to take full account of the facts and findings in the 'position statement' (including community views) when their formal offers to purchase the site are invited.  This will support NHS Lothian's identification of the scheme that represents 'best value' and lead to an agreement to sell by Easter 2017. 

As yet ‘best value’ has not been clearly defined but during the public engagement meeting there was an indication that this might mean something other than simply selling the site at the highest cost.

There is no guarantee that community values in the ‘position statement’ will be binding within a development agreement, but we really want to represent your views on the development of the site. And this is our opportunity to do precisely that: place your views within the development process.

NHS Lothian has confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers will be 9 February 2017. Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

Once a developer is selected there will be further community engagement. The normal pre-application consultation process will ensue, with a Proposal of Application Notice and at least 3 months, and at least one local event, to engage further with stakeholders.  MSCC will be working to promote as much on-going additional community involvement as possible.

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

 

Excellent turn-out to provide views on future development of current Royal Hospital for Sick Children Site.

About 75 local people braved the lashing rain to join a three hour Public Engagement Event to explore options for the current Royal Hospital for Sick Children site on Wed 16 November. 

This was the latest in a series of events co-hosted by Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council (MSCC) to allow local residents to contribute.  Daniel Johnson MSP and a couple of local City Councillors also attended. So did Sciennes Parent Council and a representative of James Gillespie's High School Pupil Voice.  The event was facilitated and managed by Grant Myles of People Assets, an experienced event facilitator who has worked with NHS Lothian before, on masterplanning.

The meeting opened with a quick update on the proposed timescales for the sale of the site by NHS Lothian, as they prepare to move children's healthcare facilities in 2018 to the Royal Infirmary site at Little France. The site will be advertised for sale within the next week and offers will be invited from prospective developers by February 2017.  These offers will be considered from a financial perspective, and proposals will also be independently assessed against a 'pre-application position statement' being prepared by NHS Lothian's planning advisors (GVA) for NHS Lothian.

The aim of the event was to generate community views and ideas for inclusion by GVA in that 'position statement'. Alongside components in the 'position statement' about i] formal planning constraints and ii] heritage considerations (listed buildings, conservation area etc) the collected community views will support NHS Lothian's identification of the scheme that represents 'best value' and lead to an agreement to sell by Easter 2017.

The event continued with an opportunity for each individual attendee to write down ideas and views on post-it notes.  These ideas were then arranged under five headings: Uses; Buildings; Movement; Spaces, and Next Steps.  Participants then moved around the room reviewing each others' ideas and adding to them.  The emerging commonalities under each theme were then summarised by groups of participants onto flipcharts and reported back in turn to everyone present. 

The meeting closed with a discussion of how all the information gathered will be used (by NHS Lothian in selecting a developer, and potentially by developers), and how participants at the workshop can continue to contribute to the consultation process and stay informed (about the sale, and proposed site designs).  All the flipcharts and post-its will be retained and all the contributions will be included in a full report of the meeting.  The report will be available by mid December and will be publicly available for review and comment, including at the MSCC Infoblog.  This is the report that will contribute to the community views section of the GVA 'position statement' for NHS Lothian.

Once a developer is selected there will be further community engagement, including through the statutory 'pre-application notice' process that must precede submission of a major planning application. MSCC will be working to promote as much on-going additional community involvement as possible.

Thanks to Grant Myles who facilitated and to GVA (planning advisors) and NHS Lothian who partnered with MSCC to organise the event.  

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

Reminder: Public engagement event for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children site is this coming Wednesday (16th) at 6pm!

40 people have told us (via pagsk2017@gmail.com) that they will come to the community engagement event on Wednesday the 16th and more will probably turn up at Summerhall on the night. 

The broader the range of views the better so please pass this on to any of your friends or neighbours that might have an opinion on any of the workshop topics below.

• Movement – where will people access the area and how will this affect the area?
• Spaces – how should the site be arranged and what spaces should be left?
• Buildings – which buildings should be preserved and what restrictions for new build?
• Uses – what facilities would be valuable to the community ?

If you are  coming, please try and be at the Summerhall TechHub by 6pm for a prompt start. 

Agenda for MSCC meeting on We 23 November 2016 at 7:30pm

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will hold its monthly regular meeting on We 23 November 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 third meeting of 16/17.  

The next meeting after this one will be We 25 January 2017.  There will be no meeting in December 2016.

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

There will be an opportunity from 7:00pm to meet the City of Edinburgh South Team to discuss with them our ideas for City Vision/ Locality Improvement Plan.

A G E N D A

 1                  Sederunt and apologies

 2                  Draft Minutes of last meeting, 26 October 2016, and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)

·     Pedestrian route on Beaufort Road

·     Public toilets

·     Pothole patching

·     Seagull nesting: options to dissuade

·     South Central Contacts

·      Home Energy Scotland: materials from meeting

·      Informal get together with other community councils

 3                  Police Report

 4                  Meadows & Bruntsfield Links:  Update from Mike Shields

 5                  City Councillor report on topical local issues

Items for discussion

 6                  City Vision/ Locality Improvement Plan (15 mins; also chance to chat from 7pm)
 7                  Astley Ainslie Hospital Redevelopment: preparing to co-design engagement process
 8                  Royal Hospital for Sick Children Redevelopment: report from workshop on 16 Nov and next steps
 9                  Road closure outside Sciennes School
10                  Christmas Tree lighting
11                  Boundary Commission proposals
12                  Planning (Applications & consultations)

·       3F1 88 Thirlestane Road

·       3F2 131 Warrender Park Road

·       SESplan consultation

Items for information

13                  Treasurer's report
14                  Cheque account signatories
15                  Rising rolls at local schools
16                  Meetings attended

           ·       JGPS Parent Council

17                  AOCB

18                  Date of next meeting: 25 January 2017

updated 20 Nov with links to report of RHSC meeting and to Treasurer's report

Have your say: Royal Hospital for Sick Children Site Public Engagement Event on We 16 Nov at 6-9pm

There will be a Public Engagement Workshop Event to explore ideas for the current Royal Hospital for Sick Children Site on We 16 Nov at 6-9pm.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for us to contribute our ideas before the site is sold. Our opinions will be given to all potential purchasers through a position statement as part of the site marketing. There will be other opportunities to build on the ideas generated, at a later stage of the process.

The event is being run by Grant Myles of People Assets - a professional facilitator, with Matt Ansell of META Architecture providing urban design support, and GVA providing town planning advice. All our contributions will be recorded by GVA and META and the results will be summarised at the end and shared with us, and the Edinburgh planning department, after the event.

There will be an introduction to the site and area, followed by an opportunity for any thoughts to be shared before breaking up into small workshop groups of about 8 people. These groups will discuss the key issues of movement, spaces, buildings and uses. Each group will have a map showing the existing site layout and support will be available from the many professionals that will be attending.

Please come early as we will start promptly at 6:00pm. The TechCube will be open from 5:30pm and there will be signs to it at Summerhall main entrance. There will be tea, coffee and other refreshments available.

All are welcome but if you intend to come please let us know in advance by contacting pagsk2017@gmail.com

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].

Update on re-development of the Sick Kids Hospital site: Public Meeting on Tu 13 Sep 2016 at 7:30pm

On 30 Aug representatives from Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council, from a local Planning Action Group, and from Sciennes Primary School Parent Council met with NHS Lothian staff to hear about plans for redevelopment of the current Royal Hospital for Sick Children Site.  Childrens’ services move in 2018 to Little France. 

We heard that NHS Lothian have appointed planning and (separately) property marketing advisors.  They propose to advertise the RHSC site (all as one site) this autumn, and hope to have a prospective buyer by Christmas 2016.  The prospective developer will then start the formal pre-application notice (PAN) process and prepare a planning application.

NHS Lothian is keen to start community engagement now. The planning advisor will prepare a ‘pre-application position statement’ over the next few months laying out i) formal planning constraints, ii) heritage considerations (listed buildings, conservation area etc.) and iii) community views. This will be used as one tool to assess bids for the site.

The hospital will move in spring 2018 and continues to operate as normal till then.  Re-development by the developer (whoever they are) will not take place till after then.

To find out more come along to a Public Meeting on Tu 13 Sep at the Church of the German Speaking Congregation in Chalmers Crescent. This meeting will be at 7:30pm and will be co-hosted by the Planning Action Group for the Sick Kids Site and by Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council.  NHS Lothian will attend to provide a short summary of the engagement exercises they intend to provide in relation to the pre-planning application stage - and to answer questions.  Representatives from PAS (Planning Aid Scotland) and from a community planning consultancy will also be present.

Updates will continue to be posted at this MSCC blog. 

[update, 20 Sep: Note of the Public Meeting now available]

Or contact pagsk2017@gmail.com or marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.

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]