The Edinburgh City Council Planning Committee today agreed to approach Scottish Ministers over the future of the land occupied by a council depot in Inverleith Park.
Following Tuesday’s Policy and Strategy Committee’s decision not to sell the land, there was a discussion over the best way to take forward plans to redesignate the land as an ‘open space’ area. Councillor Tim McKay proposed that the Planning Committee consider the potential re-designation of the site back to ‘open space’ in the Local Development Plan.
On being advised that this process could take three years, Green Councillor Steve Burgess proposed an amendment that the council ask the Scottish Ministers for permission to re-designate the land as ‘open space’. On hearing that even this course of action could take two years, Burgess was still content to put forward the amendment, and said that it would “send out a strong message”. The amendment was seconded by Councillor Eric Milligan and accepted by the committee.
Several Councillors including Joanna Mowat, Marjorie Thomas and Rob Munn expressed concern that residents in Leith were confused over plans for the area. Following a presentaion on the Waterfront and Leith Area Development Framework, Munn said:- “The community of Leith is feeling planned to death but nobody is sure what it is getting.” The committee agreed that residents should be kept informed as much possible.
Former Lord Provost Milligan later caused outrage among the Conservative members of the committee by describing Margaret Thatcher as “that bitch from hell”. Milligan who made the comments during a debate about the Edinburgh Lighting Plan later withdrew the remark at the request of Tory Councillor Cameron Rose.
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