City centre plans – Man charged – Panda news – Chris Hoy – Record Store Day
There is a drop in event today and tomorrow about the public consultation which has now started on proposals aimed at transforming the heart of Edinburgh’s City Centre. The Council has developed a proposal for improving the City Centre, particularly in the area around Princes Street and George Street. This proposal aims to make the area a better place in which to live, work, visit, invest and study.
The City Centre is a key location in Edinburgh for retail, entertainment, finance, business and tourism, while also being home to an increasing number of residents. There is recognition that this area could perform better in order to fulfil its potential as a world class destination.
The delivery of the tram project, which is due to start running passenger services by summer 2014, provides an opportunity to improve the heart of the city.
The proposed scheme has been shaped by a working group chaired by Planning Convener Councillor Ian Perry.
Councillor Perry said: – “I think many people recognise that for all its architectural beauty and wealth of enticing shops and amenities, the City Centre is still not yet achieving its full potential. With this public consultation, we’ve got the chance here to really do something for the city centre and we’re determined to find a solution which works best for everyone. I would urge everyone with a stake in Edinburgh’s future prosperity to have their say.”
The Council is keen to hear residents’ views on the proposal and how they would like to see the space used. The consultation process will also shed light on how the proposals might impact on different users and stakeholders.
The findings of the consultation will be the subject of a future report and any changes will then be trialled to test how they work.
The online survey can be accessed: at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6G7MWW9 and will run for a period of 6 weeks until Thursday 9 May 2013.
Two public drop-in events are being held:
* Friday 19 April, Assembly Rooms George Street, 12-6pm
* Saturday 20 April, Assembly Rooms, George Street , 10 -2pm
Comments can also be sent via e-mail to:
citycentre.vision@edinburgh.gov.uk
Further information about the consultation can be found at http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/citycentrevision
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A male has been charged in connection with an alleged serious assault on a 27-year-old man in Holyrood Park Road on Saturday 30 March 2013.
The 22-year-old is scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.
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Panda news…..
Here is the latest from Edinburgh Zoo late last night:-
“After another exciting day at Edinburgh Zoo, it seems we all still need to wait a little while longer before Tian Tian goes into season and the 36 hours officially begin, as pandas cannot be introduced until the females have reached their annual peak. Today we were delighted to see a sharp rise in Tian Tian’s hormones and during the enclosure swap early this morning – where Tian Tian went into Yang Guang’s outdoor enclosure and vice versa – it was evident her breeding behaviour is intensifying.
During the swap our female was seen going into Yang Guang’s pool a number of times to cool down, splashing her face, rubbing her scent glands behind her ears and rolling on the side of the pool – all amazing to watch. Then, just before 5pm this afternoon, we brought Yang Guang into Tian Tian’s indoor enclosure.
The male spent some time sitting in her bed, before we took him into an off show area where the two pandas could interact through a grate. Tian Tian frequently called out very loudly to Yang Guang, which is an extremely promising sign, however there was still a little too much bark in her calling that indicates she still is not quite ready – this will soften off when the time is right. So, onto tomorrow morning and we eagerly anticipate the moment her hormones will peak, which should be very soon.”
We can hardly ‘bear’ the suspense!
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Sir Chris Hoy bowed out of competitive sport yesterday at a press conference held at Murrayfield where he will be working with the Scottish Rugby team in the future in what he described as a minor role. Choosing not to compete at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 at the velodrome named after him must have been a tough choice. One of the other things that he may do in future is undertake some charity work and he confirmed to The Edinburgh Reporter that he is interested in taking part in Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh this May, depending on his diary commitments.
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Tomorrow is Record Store Day. We will have a preview here later! Do you have a favourite record store? What is the situation in Edinburgh post HMV? Tell us!
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
