Please give the Council your views: Community Council Publicity

Eileen Hewitt (Community Council Liaison & Development Officer at Services for Communities) is working with City of Edinburgh Council Corporate Communications to develop a communications plan in the run up to the community council elections in October.   

It would assist greatly if you could send her your views by completing a survey. Please respond by Friday 15 May.

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership: Roads Capital Programme

Proposals to be evaluated at the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Roads Capital Programme selection meeting on We 29 April have been received by the MSCC secretary. If you wish to see them please contact him by e-mail at:  marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.  

I have three copies.

City of Edinburgh Local Development Plan Scheme 2009

The City Council has prepared a local development (LDP) scheme for 2009.  This has been prepared to meet requirements of planning legislation and sets out:

i] a programme for preparing the first LDP for the area, which will replace the current generation of local plans (for Edinburgh city and the proposed amendment of the plan in rural west Edinburgh); and

ii] a participation statement laying out how community engagement will contribute to the plan.

If you have questions about the LDP development scheme please contact ben.wilson@edinburgh.gov.uk (principal planner, local planning policy).

South Central Edinburgh Local Community Plan to be launched on 15 May

The South Central Edinburgh Local Community Plan will be launched at an event at the Gillis Centre on Fr 15 May 09 at noon to 2pm.

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting on 11 May to feature discussion on Meadows & Bruntsfield Links events

Just a little advance warning that the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Board meeting at 7pm on 11 May will feature a discussion on events on the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links. 

The venue has not yet been confirmed but will be posted here as soon as it is announced.

If you have issues you wish raised at the Neighbourhood Partnership please contact marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.

Update: according to the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership website the meeting will be on Monday 11th May at 7pm in the City Chambers Business Centre.  This has not been confirmed in writing to MSCC so please regard it as provisional for now.

Evening News: Guerrilla gardeners use flower power to tidy up city

The Evening News carries a story today about the 'guerilla gardening' that is tidying up a crescent-shaped patch of land on Marchmont Crescent.

Our chair, Susie Agnew and local councillor, Cameron Rose both comment.

Update: 'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association

Photos of the first activities of the Marchmont Triangle Back Green Group are now available on the Edinburgh Back Green Association (ECBA) website. The triangle is the area bounded by Marchmont Crescent (N), Marchmont Road and Warrender Park Road.  Details of how to get involved are also given. 

Edinburgh Council extends online payments to include parking permits

Cameron Rose's NewsBlog today alerts us to the opportunity to pay our City of Edinburgh Council bills online (via debit but not credit cards). Paying for a resident's parking permit is now possible.

Other bills you can pay include council tax, council house rent, non-domestic rates, service accounts and fixed penalty tickets

'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association

Sarah Sandow writes... Ten residents and three representatives of the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association attended the founding meeting of the 'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association at 6 Marchmont Crescent on 9.4.09, and on Saturday 11.4.09 work will commence. The area is bounded by Marchmont Crescent (N), Marchmont Road and Warrender Park Road.

An area in the centre of the triangle has been identified as a space for a 'co-shed' which will be available for tools etc, with keys for all participants. It is hoped that a table can be placed outside this, for potting or just sitting. A barbecue area was also proposed. The shed will be funded by ECBA.

The group discussed the future of the several very tall trees in the triangle, and the possibility of identifying a space for raised beds for vegetable growing. Further expenditure will be the responsibility of the members, but ECBA will advise on sources of funding and appropriate approaches. ECBA work on the basis of identifying a small area within the whole back-green space as the communal area, before encouraging residents to extend this to other parts of the site. In this way it is hoped to allay any anxieties from other residents and engage them in the project.

A film of progress is being made by Eric Robinson, who is an independent film-maker.

This is the first area in Marchmont to be tackled. The second will be the area bounded by Argyle Place, Roseneath Street , Roseneath Place and Roseneath Terrace, hopefully by 18th April. The sites have been selected on the basis of responses to recent ECBA leaflet drops. ECBA have previously worked in Gorgie, and recognise that Marchmont presents different challenges.

The secretary of the Marchmont Triangle Group will be Dr Maia Forrester 11 Marchmont Crescent, maiaforrester@hotmail.com tel. 229 9317

Modernising planning: how to find out more

The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (PDF) is bringing about major changes in planning. The new legislation is designed to let communities be better informed and have an early say in the planning process on national and major proposals. Consultation with local communities is the key focus of these changes.

To find out more visit the City of Edinburgh Council modernising planning pages, where you can download leaflets and access background information.

Edinburgh Standards for Housing - consultation

The City of Edinburgh Council have published Edinburgh Standards for Housing for consultation (PDF). The aim of these planning standards is to "achieve high quality, successful and sustainable residential environments. The standards will complement and provide more detailed guidance on the design policies set out in the Development plan".

Comments are invited by Tu 30 Jun 09 to gina.bellhouse@edinburgh.gov.uk. Queries to Gina at 0131 469 3723 (Tu/We/Th only).

Consultation open on parking standards

The City of Edinburgh Council have published planning standards on parking for consultation (PDF). As a report to the planning committee says:

"Parking Standards are a key tool in managing the transport impacts of developments. They can reduce overspill parking but also have a central role in influencing how people travel to new developments. The Council’s current Parking Standards are now almost ten years old; with this in mind a review has been undertaken to learn from experience and current best practice, and take into account recent Government guidance. The review has identified a number of proposed detailed changes.

The following are considered to be the most significant:

• Changes to General Housing Standards so that the standards take more account of dwelling size and location
• Adoption of a tailored approach to residential parking for large developments, taking detailed account of public transport access, local facilities and other relevant factors
• Presumption against automatic increases in parking at existing out-of-city-centre retail centres
• Requiring/permitting the provision of temporary parking in areas of major development prior to improvements in infrastructure/public transport services"

Comments are invited by Fr 29 May 09 to Phil.noble@edinburgh.gov.uk. Queries to Phil at 0131 469 3803.

Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice Event: 29 Apr

The Centre for the Older Person's Agenda (COPA) at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh are assisting the work of the The Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice in developing an exciting new area network in Edinburgh & Lothians to meet local needs.

As part of this they are organising an event at Newbattle Community High School, Dalkeith on Wednesday 29 April 2009 from 3.45 pm to 5.50 pm. They are also for organisations to become members and attend this meeting to discuss how the network might look and function. Please come along and support this event which will include schoolchildren and adult involvement. If you would like to attend, please register your interest with Janice Burr at Queen Margaret University.

If you are unable to attend, please join the "Generations Working Together" Network, free of charge, to receive regular updates from the Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice. You will receive the regular Newsletter, information on funding, meetings, free tailored training, new publications and updates on research and examples of best practice.

Southside community backgreens project

The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association will be holding a Launch event for their Southside Project on 6 Apr 09 at 19:00-21:00. The event will be at St Peters Church Hall, Lutton Place, EH8 9PE [map].

This meeting will be for residents, local organisations, groups and anyone else who is interested in the project. Please come along and spread the word. We will be talking about the Backgreen Blitz - backgreen regeneration, Grow Your Own - food growing course and will answer any questions you have. It would be great if you could let Emma Burnett (e.burnett@ecba.org.uk; 0131 243 2698) know if you plan to come along.

Agenda for Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council meeting: We 8 Apr at 19:30

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held

On WEDNESDAY 8 April 2009 at 7.30pm in

St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

1. Sederunt and Apologies

2. Minutes of Meeting held 11 March 2009

3. Matters Arising

4. Police Report

5. Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links campaign

6. Lunch club

7. Community council elections

8. Reports of meetings

• Meadow Place,
• Meadows Festival
• Funding evening

9. Any other business

10. Next meeting Wednesday 13 May 2009

Planning committee to rule on Archers Hall Application (via Cameron Rose)

As Cameron Rose's NewsBlog says: "The proposals to upgrade the Archers [link added] Hall site including the provision of 15 flats for student accommodation will be considered by the [City of Edinburgh Council] Planning Committee this Wednesday (1.4.09)".
See the NewsBlog for details and links to the relevant documents.


update, 9 April @21:30 (after request): relevant docs are at http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/portal/submissions.do?action=ViewPublicCaseDetails&applicationRef=08/03150/FUL

Meadows Festival AGM: take 2 - 2 April at 7pm

Linda Hendry has sent a message to the members of Meadows Festival group on Facebook, saying "We need you to pop in to the AGM on 2nd April at the Croquet Pavilion on the Meadows if you can possibly make it after 7pm. Our last shot at an AGM did not have enough people so we need you to come for the event to go ahead. You don't have to do anything else to help if you don't want to."

Short Life Working Group on the Meadows

The note of the meeting of the Short Life Working Group on the Meadows (sub group of the Neighbourhood Partnership) is now available at https://docs.google.com/ViewDoc?docid=ddb2932f_20cc8cjdgx.
The photo was taken today on my way to work and is looking south towards Warrender Park Terrace over the Croquet club from Melville Drive.

Southside Newington Week of Action

The Week of action has commenced.

High visibility patrols by police, Community Safety Officers and Environmental Wardens, mobile CCTV, graffiti removal and street cleaning are set to form part of a Week of Action in Newington and the Southside.

Police, fire and council officers will work with community councils to make the area "cleaner, greener and safer" during the week, beginning on March 16.

The Hub in the King's Hall on South Clerk Street will be open during the Week of Action from 10am-3pm, and everyone is welcome to come and give their views.

For more details see http://www.edinscc.org/Files/eaw.php.

Road closed (Chalmers Crescent)

As Cameron Rose (councillor for Southside/Newington) reports in his local newsblog: Chalmers Crescent will be closed this Thursday at the junction with Palmerston Road to allow a crane to work safely outside No 8. It should be a part day closure. http://tinyurl.com/cmsn8d