Sheila Gilmore, MP for Edinburgh East has welcomed a Court of Session ruling to reassess plans to build over greenbelt.
Two greenbelt sites at Newcraighall, East Edinburgh were identified in 2009 by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee as suitable for building 400 homes. Developers have since begun planning procedures.
In a ruling made last Friday, Lord Malcolm, quashed the Edinburgh Local Plan which allowed for the homes to be built on this greenbelt land after ruling out other areas of the city. Greenbelt areas are usually set up to restrict urbanisation in fringe areas of towns and cities. The ruling does not stop developers trying for planning permission, but removes a presumption in favour of building.
The City of Edinburgh Council will now have to reconsider its plans in line with relevant legislation and recent ruling.
Sheila Gilmore, MP for East Edinburgh welcomed the ruling and said:-
‘It looks like it is back to the drawing board for the Council. This decision was very controversial when made and Labour, Green and SNP councillors on the Committee opposed it. Many of my constituents in Newcraighall and Gilberstoun were very worried about the impact of these proposals on their communities.
‘Planning officials have argued that there has to be a release of greenbelt land because several years ago the Lothian Region Structure Plan said there was a need but that is now out of date.
‘I realise that these plans were devised when brownfield sites were in short supply, but the situation has changed and there is land in Craigmillar and Granton waiting to be built on. Greenfield should not be built on simply because it is viewed as ‘easier’. I call upon the Planning Committee to take this opportunity to look at this again.’
‘Developers might still submit plans following this ruling, but with the part of the plan ‘quashed’ getting approval is going to be an uphill battle.
