Local Development Plan – Royal Highland Show starts today – Leith Museum – Today at the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling – The Edinburgh Reporter Competitions
Councillors say they are set to reaffirm their commitment to giving maximum protection to the city’s green belt when approving the next stage of the Edinburgh Local Development Plan (LDP) project later today.
A capital coalition motion, which will be considered at the postponed Planning Committee, agrees to continue exploring the prioritisation of brownfield sites before releasing land in the Green Belt. 74% of the homes within the Local Development Plan are expected to be built on brownfield sites.
While agreeing the recommendations in the report , the motion further instructs officials to reassess a potential development site in the west of the city called ‘East of Milburn Tower’. Contained within the West Edinburgh Strategic Development zone, its inclusion in the Plan would give the committee more flexibility when considering future representations on the LDP.
Councillor Ian Perry, Planning Convener, said: “In order to give us the best chance of preserving the city’s green belt, the Capital Coalition will be proposing that none of the currently identified sites are removed at this stage of developing the Local Development Plan.
“Removing any of the current sites would mean the Council could not meet the housing target agreed by the Government, which could result in the Plan facing a legal challenge.
“Or worse, because we wouldn’t have an effective land supply, it would seriously undermine the Committee’s ability to prevent ad hoc development in the green belt as the Reporter would have no option but to grant applications on appeal.”
It has been suggested in the LDP that Curriemuirend Park would be included in an area where houses would be built. There is a local campaign to save the park who spoke to The Digital Sentinel recently.
***
The Royal Highland Show gets underway today and runs until Sunday. It is always a good day out for a number of reasons even if you are not a farmer.
Throughout the four days of the show you can have a close-up of the Kelpies – in miniature.
Following on from their successful tour of North America, two 15-foot-high steel models of the largest equine sculptures in the world are set to make their first appearance at this year’s Royal Highland Show, courtesy of The Helix Trust.
The sculptures, which are made from hundreds of small pieces of steel plate wielded together, will be on show to attendees at the agricultural event and will be positioned on the green over the four days.
Based on the original sculptures that currently stand 100-foot-tall in Falkirk, the 1:10 scale design is sure to fit in well at the show alongside the 355 heavy horses due to exhibit. The sculptures, designed by Andy Scott, are based on Clydesdales Duke and Baron who have been exhibiting at the Highland for years.
The Edinburgh Reporter went to see the real things the other week – have you been to see them yet?
The Show organisers have issued a booklet for today with tips on what to see.
http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dailydairies_thurs.pdf
***
The campaign group for a Leith Museum, chaired by Mark Lazarowicz, is inviting people to a public meeting on a Museum for Leith, to be held on Sunday 22 June at 2 p, in South Leith Parish Church, at 2 pm. Their campaign has now reached a crucial stage because the current owners of Custom House, National Museums of Scotland, have now confirmed that it is their intention to move out of Custom House by April 2015. It is their intention to sell the building.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Leith has a wonderful heritage and the Council has a number of exhibits relating to the history of the ports and culture of life in the area.
“It has been a long-term ambition to secure a suitable site for preserving these items, and Customs House could be an ideal building for this.”
As background to this, there has been a campaign to establish a Leith Museum for a number of years – the Council has always expressed support for the idea through collections, expertise and curatorial advice. To date there have not been resources to secure a suitable location. A number of buildings have been identified over the years but the preferred and most suitable building for historical, location and architectural importance is the Leith Customs House.
- In 2000 the Council’s Recreation committee approved a report recommending the establishment of a partnership between council officials and interested parties to develop proposals for the long term preservation and interpretation of the heritage of Leith and an exploration of suitable venues.
- A partnership was established and recommended that the museum should be established in the Customs House. In June 2003 the Leith Museum Trust was formally disbanded
- In March 2005 the Leith Police station was identified as a possible site for the museum but was unsuitable
- In February 2008 a full review and future direction of the City’s Museum service was reported to the Culture and leisure Committee. The importance of and support for establishing a Leith Museum was recognised. ‘The Council and Museums officials are also aware of a long standing desire in the local community for the establishment of a museum for Leith. This has most recently seen expression in a petition to the Scottish Parliament. Informal discussions have been held with representatives of the campaign and with other local stakeholders and potential partners…..there is now a clear opportunity for the Council to work in partnership with others towards making this ambition a reality’
- A Leith Trust was established and the service continues to work with the community on a range of projects and programmes
- The city’s museum service continues to collect Leith artefacts which are held at the Museums Collection Centre.
***
At 2 o’clock this afternoon Le Tour starts off in Edinburgh. This is the very individual Edinburgh Lochs and Castles tour. You may still have time to book:-
A three hour tour using Edinburgh’s cycle path network. A gentle ride with historical commentary and a break in the pub. We visit the Innocent Tunnel, Craigmillar Castle, Dr Neil’s Garden, The Sheep Heid Inn, Duddingston Loch, The Palace of Holyroodhouse, The Scottish Parliament and Our Dynamic Earth.
Adults: £20 for bike hire and tour, £6 if you bring your own bike
Concession: £18 for bike hire and tour, £5 if you bring your own bikeTo book please use the Le tour Edinburgh website, or call/text 0741 564 0296. Tours start under the North Bridge behind Waverley Station, 39 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DH. Payment is taken on the day in cash or by credit card.
***
We have a couple of competitions running this week which have great prizes on offer!
The first is for afternoon tea for two at One Square at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. This competition runs till 20 June 2014 at 5pm. Click here to enter.
The second competition closes on Sunday 22 June 2014 at 5.00pm and this time we have FIVE pairs of tickets for the showing of Braveheart next week on 24 June 2014 at the Festival Theatre, when Brian Cox and Peter Mullen who both starred in the film will be available for Q & A.
Click here to enter.
Good Luck!
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
