Greener Leith has recently learnt that Forth Ports have submitted a revised Outline Planning Application for the redevelopment of the docks area and that the planning department is accepting public comments once again. Neither Forth Ports nor the City of Edinburgh Council seem to have publicised this at all, and indeed the council web portal wrongly states that comments are not being accepted. Remarkably, it is an important Tern colony that has forced a rethink on Forth Ports proposals. More details, in this Scotsman article and here.

Greener Leith got involved in this issue too late to submit comments to the first application. However, now that we all have a chance to comment on the Forth Ports regeneration proposals we have expanded on what we wrote previously, and put in many hours of volunteer time to put together a more detailed submission for the planning department. 

Greener Leith is asking the Council and Forth Ports to:

• Increase the amount of play, sports and allotment provision in the Forth Ports redevelopment area, to meet national standards.
• Adopt alternative proposals for a larger seaward extension to Leith Links, that will provide the amount of green space needed by a development of this scale. 
• Ensure developers pay to upgrade the facilities on Leith Links, paying attention to the outcomes of our consultation - the Leith Links Ask
  
• Ensure active travel modes are prioritised throughout the development, and linked to public transport.
• Not to allow any buildings taller than 10 storeys.
• Incorporate the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in the development.
• Ensure that affordable housing is distributed throughout the redevelopment, and not clustered on the least desirable areas.
  

Read the on-line version of our submission in full here. 

If you agree with what we say, then this is your chance to support our campaign. We'd strongly encourage you to write or email to the planning department in support of our campaign, and possibly your local councillor too. Whilst you are welcome to use this draft letter that we've put together for you - we'd recommend that you edit it and use your own words, as this may carry more weight with the planning committee. The person to send your emails to is kevin.ryan@edinburgh.gov.uk. Comments need to be in by the 15th of July, 2008.

The design proposals for the Leith Links Seaward Extension (LLSE - OS7) have been released for consultation by the City of Edinburgh Council this week and Greener Leith is encouraging everyone to have a look and make a comment. You'll be pleased to know that it is a relatively small file to download (1.7MB), and that is not particularly lengthy or technical.

To help with this we thought we should explain some more about the proposals. First of all, we should make it clear that this is a 'Design Study', which aims to set out how the proposed Leith Links Seaward Extension (OS7) will be structured and how it will relate to other land uses. More detailed landscape designs will follow for different parts of the extension as it is implemented. It is estimated this could take as long as 20-30 years to complete. 

The Design Study is not a planning application, nor is it supplementary planning guidance. As we understand things, this means that it will not be legally binding on anyone. However, it will inform the development of the seaward extension, and on this basis it is worth commenting on. 

We should also point out that there are 'unofficial' alternative proposals for extending Leith Links, although these are currently unavailable on-line. These alternative proposals suggest extending Leith Links into the area currently earmarked for light industrial/commercial uses between the Eastern boundary of the LLSE OS7 proposal and the Seafield sewerage works further east.

The alternative proposals are officially outwith the scope of this consultation, as they would require a considerable change to the recently adopted Edinburgh City Local Plan. We understand from the planning officers involved that there is now little scope to modify the local plan (and consequently the current Leith Links Extension OS7) until it is next up for consideration. Work to develop the next Edinburgh City Local Plan will not begin until 2012 at the earliest.

This said, Greener Leith has already voiced concerns that the Leith Docks Outline Planning Applciation does not contain a suitable amount of new Green Space, particularly with regard to sports facilities. If the planning committee do not act to remedy this deficit, then Greener Leith hopes that the Scottish Government will 'call in' the Leith Docks Outline Planning Application for a rethink.

If you're finding it hard work understand the planning process and how it relates to the Leith Links Seaward Extension proposals (we certainly feel like we're on a steep learning curve!) then you can attend a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday the 13th of May, at St Mary's Primary School, Links Gardens between 7pm and 8pm. Planning Officers will be there to answer any questions about the LLSE-OS7 design study proposals.

If you can't make this meeting, you can submit your comments, in writing, to:

Noami Sandilands, City Development, G:1, 4, East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG by 9th June 2008. Alternatively you can email naomi.sandilands@edinburgh.gov.uk

Greener Leith will submit the response below to the Design Study consultation. If you aggree with us, you are welcome to use these points as an inspiration for your own letter.

1. Greener Leith is concerned that the OS7 Leith Links Seaward Extension, when considered in combination with other existing and proposed green spaces in the area, does not provide enough publicly accessible, free sports facilities. Greater thought needs to be put into this in order to meet the likely demand. Will one extra football pitch be sufficient to cope with demand from all the new residential development in Leith Docks?

2. Greener Leith questions whether more thought to the distribution of land uses may be required. Is it more appropriate to move the area designated for sports further away from the coast, and closer to the existing links, using the space currently allocated for 'community facilites and civic space,' and/or 'passive recreation and community education.' This would ensure that the sports areas are at least sheltered somewhat from the sea winds, by the orchard, allotments and surrounding buildings. In turn, this would allow space for more informal uses closer to the coast, where a larger number of people may wish to gather on days when the weather is conducive to sunbathing, and taking in the view across the Forth. Careful landscaping may be required to mitigate against the potential for the whole extension to turn into a 'wind tunnel' when the wind is from the North.

3. Greener Leith is concerned that the proposed land uses adjacent to the Seaward Extension proposals often present 'passive' frontages on the eastern edge. In addition, there is little natural surveillance from the eastern side of the extension - a greater proportion of residential land uses on both sides of the extension would provide this. As things stand, the pathways through the proposed new allotment sites, and most of the eastern edge of the new park have the potential to become frightening places in the evening. If the allotments were sited along this eastern edge, with no publc pathway through them, this may help to 'design out' potential anti-social behavior.  

4. Greener Leith is disappointed that the LLSE OS7 extension proposals have such a negative impact on the existing Leith Links allotment site. This site is much valued by the plot holders, and the association has done a good job in recent years to reach out and work with the wider community in Leith. Furthermore, this site has been in existence for many years. It is unfortunate that greater weight was not placed on preserving this site, when the initial proposals for a Leith Links extension were first mooted. It is also unfortunate that there is potential for some allotment holders to have to move not once, but twice as this project develops.

5. Greener Leith is pleased that the number of allotment plots is set to increase, and that the proposals give a commitment to ensure that the soil they are situated in is treated to mitigate against any residual industrial contaminants. Greener Leith also welcomes the proposals for an orchard, and would hope that this could be an opportunity to expand the newly established Edinburgh Childrens Orchard project into Leith. 

6. Greener Leith also notes that the creation of significant cycle route will eventually have an impact on the existing Leith Links and therefore extra investment, and careful design, will be required in the park to cope with this increased through flow of cyclists.

Community Food And Health Scotland has announced that it is looking for applications to its small grant fund for 2008. Last year the organisation gave 56 grants out between £500 and £3,000.

Initiaitves they are keen to fund should tackle the barriers that stop people from accessing or taking up healthy balanced diet. This could mean projects that make sure healthy foods are available, affordable, and that people have the skills to budget, shop for, and cook healthy food. Projects could also seek to tackle 'long ingrained' cultural habits of poor diet.

You can get more information from here.

Greener Leith recently acquired 500 daffodil bulbs for free from the City of Edinburgh Council.  The majority of them were planted in the communal space at the entrance to Ferry Road Allotments, with the remainder planted along the cycle paths nearby. Hopefully they'll provide a real splash of colour for everyone who passes them.