When the Development Management committee meet tomorrow morning it looks likely that they will grant permission to the owner of 1-6 Canonmills Bridge to demolish it and replace it with a block of flats. Certainly the report before the committee recommends that the application to demolish Earthy is granted.
This decision has saddened the people behind the Save 1-6 Canonmills Bridge campaign. They have gathered almost 4000 signatures on a petition set up here and have other support which they will present in person to the committee on Wednesday morning.
They say they are not giving up the fight yet, despite the recommendation to approve the demolition in a conservation area, at the planning sub-committee meeting tomorrow morning.
Buoyed by public support over the past 6 weeks of their campaign, the campaigners have gathered over 1600 paper signatures from their presence on the bridge at the weekends, and with support of their 1228 followers on Facebook, have also gained nearly 4000 signatures online through their 38-degree petition. The paperwork and statistics will be presented to the committee on Wednesday.
In a joint statement, the lead campaign team said, “We have encountered unified support from across the local community (people of all ages and political perspectives), also from regular and occasional visitors to the area. We can’t overstate how much the area around Canonmills Bridge junction means to locals, pedestrians on their way to work or the Botanics, and to those frequenting the Water of Leith. We have been heartened by the repeat visits, for progress updates and in encouragement to our stall.”
The campaigners say that local councillors Gardner, Bagshaw, Barrie and Hinds have all requested a hearing that can be granted or denied on the day of the meeting, but whatever happens you can guarantee that the locals of Canonmills are not going to go quietly, as on the eve of the meeting they gather their placards and warm up the vocal chords to gather outside the City Chambers tomorrow morning at 9am.
“It ain’t over til the big ball swings” said Gemma Kicks a local resident.
The demolition application can be found on the Council website ref number (PLANNING APPLICATION 15/01786/CON)
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