Objections to plans to transform ‘The Causey’ in Edinburgh thrown out

Grassroots charity, The Causey Development Trust (CDT), is celebrating a community triumph of giant proportions as the Scottish Government reporter tasked with investigating objections, ruled in favour of proposals to transform ‘The Causey’ into a beautiful and public space.

After years of consultation and campaigning The Causey Development Trust can confirm that a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) and Roads Determination Order (RDO) promoted by City of Edinburgh Council have been confirmed. This means at the junction of West Crosscauseway and Chapel Street the traffic flow can be reversed and parking bays removed to make walking and cycling easier and prioritise people over vehicles, whilst also allowing for the creation of a new communal space.

Isobel Leckie, Secretary at The Causey Development Trust, said: “Words cannot express how delighted we are at this news. It has been a long 14 years of grassroots engagement, consultations, fundraising, events and workshops, and working with City of Edinburgh Council Officers and charities to encourage local people and councillors to see what a positive and life enhancing space this could be, with a little reconfiguration.

“This was the heartfelt project of my close friend, the late Alison Blamire, whose inspiration has encouraged us all the way, and I am just over the moon that we can finally say we are getting somewhere! This all started with a desire to promote health and wellbeing and opportunities for neighbourliness and the community to hold its events, and today that’s what we’re celebrating.”

A grassroots organisation founded in 2007 by local architect Alison Blamire, The Causey Development Trust is run by volunteers and you can find them on a Saturday on the traffic island at ‘The Causey’ for their weekly ‘sit oots’ and planter caring sessions.

Robert Motyka, a local resident and steering group member, said: “I am so, so happy that finally we can start moving ahead with transforming ‘The Causey!’ Already myself and many of the local residents use it as a place to meet on the weekends, when we share coffee and conversation, but to reduce the amount of traffic and create a more practical and useable space that promotes wellbeing, well it’s just so exciting.

“We already have some planters that we enjoy looking after as a community, so I can only dream of what we can grow and create together with a purpose made space that puts people first.”

The current plans for the space by Ironside Farrar can be found here – https://thecausey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/A-design-proposal-for-The-Causey.pdf