The Royal Yacht Britannia high and dry

Here's a rare chance to see parts of the Royal Yacht Britannia that most tourists will never see.

One of Leith's most high profile visitor attractions, the Royal Yacht Britannia, has spent most of January in the dry dock on the other side of Leith Docks from her usual home, getting her underside checked and repainted and ready for another stint at Ocean Terminal. 

Someone publishing under the name "Maggittooth," has posted this six minute video clip to YouTube of the boat's rarely seen underside.

Warning: The boat may be high and dry but as the clip is shot on a phone, it could still leave you feeling a bit sea sick. 

Revealed: That Forth Ports "understanding" in full

After a tortuous series of emails, we're pleased to publish the full text of the  Memorandum of Understanding that has been signed between the City of Edinburgh Council, Forth Ports and Scottish Enterprise. 

Despite the vast sums of public money that could potentially be thrown at the docks in the coming years, and the fanfare that was made about it at the time, the public agencies involved in the deal have been surpisingly reticent in their willingness to make this document public.

Given that it turns out the contents of the MoU seems to comprise largely of disclaimers that make it clear that no-one will be liable if anything goes wrong, one wonders why they were so coy.

Anyway, what can we learn from the document that we don't know already? It seems to indicate that all parties are signed up to developing the docks as a new industrial hub for Scotland. Something many in Leith may welcome, but may not happen as quickly, or as easily, as some would like if this Herald article is true.

However, it would appear that the new owners of Leith Docks are particularly keen to persuade the public sector to foot the bill for improvements to the lock gates at the mouth of the dock. This will allow larger ships to make use of the dock - and presumably generate greater profits for Arcus. 

And it also sets out a five year timetable for work on the docks, implying that publicly funded works in and around the docks area could be starting by this time next year. 

A cynic may question what bearing this agreement has on the consultation scheduled for next Wednesday on the new City Development Plan. Afterall, to some it may seem that it won't matter what Leithers say - or what sketches the planners draw - the future of the docks is already a done deal. 

Leith Docks Memorandum of Understanding

Forth Ports and planners to outline docks future at public meeting

Leithers will get a rare chance to hear, and question, Forth Ports staff on their proposals for the future of the docks in a meeting called by planners.

The meeting, which somewhat ironically is to take place in an emty shop unit in Ocean Terminal - the shopping centre Forth Ports built and is now trying to sell - aims to allow local residents to consider the two broad options for the future of the docks that are proposed in the councils Main Issues Report consultation.

Officials from Scottish Enterprise, who are subsidising the production of a new detailed masterplan for the land owned by Forth Ports, will also be in attendance.

Ocean Terminal Local Development Plan Event

Eventually, the council will adopt one of the two options and incorporate it into a new Local Development Plan that will guide the overall direction of development on the docks for years to come.

You can find more details on the Local Development Plan on the council website and you can find out more about the planning policies and developments affecting the docks in this post we wrote a couple of weeks ago.

Leaked: Future of Leith Docks all at sea

It may feel like the regeneration of Leith has been frozen in time, ever since the financial crash.

This week there has been a flurry of announcements about Leith Docks. We'll provide the simplified version here: 

1. The Leith Biomass plant planning application is unlikely to be considered by the City of Edinburgh Council until June 2012 at the earliest. 
2. As we predicted, councillors have decided not to spend £84million pounds on infrastructure improvements in the docks area until there is clarity about "plan B" for the docks.
3. Alex Salmond announced in the Scottish Parliament that Scottish Enterprise will be funding detailed studies into what could amount to that "Plan B." The first tender for a new docks masterplan is worth £400,000-£500,000 with more public cash to come. As yet, no wind turbine manufacturer has confirmed they want to invest in Leith.
4. The Scottish Government says that they will spend a £100million+ windfall from Westminster on developing "renewables infrastructure," and the Scotsman reckons that a good chunk of this may end up being spent on port infrastructure at Leith.
5. And in more exciting, albeit slightly unrelated news, Leith docks based wave energy machine manufacturer, Pelamis, delivered one of their giant red snake things from Leith to Orkney, and learned that they've been short listed in the Scottish Green Energy Awards. 

This matters, because there's an important planning consultation going on that could shape the future of Leith Docks for many years to come. We'd encourage as many local residents to try to digest some of this information and take part in the Local Development Plan consultation. 

If you can feel yourself ageing at the very thought of it, a civic minded councillor helpfully leaked this briefing to Greener Leith today. It was produced by senior planners for local councillors. But there's no reason why councillors should keep this stuff to themselves is there? Here's the official position at the moment:

Leith Docks Briefing Note to Elected Members 

Basically Leithers, there seems to be two choices on offer. Potentially lot's of industry and no business case for a tram. Or some industry, some houses, and maybe a tram at some point.

The former option seems to be being pursued by the Scottish Government and Forth Ports. The latter seems to be the favoured option by planners in the City Council.

And in both cases, neither the Scottish Government, or the council, would appear comfortable backing the giant Biomass plant that Forth Ports would still like to build. 

If you put in a submission to the Local Development Plan consultation, please do share your response with us. Greener Leith will publish a response in due course. 

You have plenty of time to ruminate on this. In fact you can do it over the entire festive period.

If you want to speak to a council planner to explain things in more detail, then there will be some sort of stall at Ocean Terminal on the 7th of January, 11am-3pm.

This post was updated on the 12th of November, with new information about the Scottish Enterprise tender, and details of the Scottish Government announcement of more money for renewable infrastructure.

EU scuppers big biomass subsidy whilst Forth Energy ramp up PR

Forth Energy, the developer behind a huge proposed power plant on Leith docks, have embarked on a new round of promotion for the four power stations they've planned.

Just yesterday, their manager Calum Wilson managed to get 300 terribly reassuring sounding words in the Scotsman. However, for the layman, it may not have been clear what he meant.

In his piece, which we re-produce in full below, Mr Wilson says that, "debate is good and the facts should be aired and understood." So, we've added some FACTS to his copy to make it easier for everyone to understand. His original text is in italics.

"AL GORE applauded Scotland's plans to become a major player in renewable energy."

FACT: There is no evidence that Al Gore made any reference to the Forth Energy biomass proposals. He spoke mainly about wave, tidal and wind power, and supported the Scottish Government renewables policies. These policies do not support large biomass plants like the ones proposed by Forth Energy.

"There is already considerable discussion about Forth Energy's proposals to site wood-fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plants at Rosyth, Grangemouth, Dundee and Leith. Debate is good and the facts should be aired and understood."

FACT: There has indeed been considerable debate. Not much of it supports the Forth Energy proposals. In fact SNH have formally objected to the Leith plant, whilst Falkirk Council have objected to the firms similar Grangemouth power plant proposals. This last objection will trigger a public enquiry into the Grangemouth plant so it's very good that Mr Wilson welcomes debate, as there will be more of it.

"These plants will generate reliable supplies of renewable, low carbon electricity and heat for industrial processes and residential, community and commercial space heating from internationally-sourced, sustainable resources."

FACT: In the planning application Forth Energy have submitted for Leith they make absolutely no commitment to using the huge amounts of heat generated by the power station. In fact they acknowledge that without a further public subsidy to pay the one million pounds per kilometer (plus extra to install heat pipes into buildings) that a heat network will cost, they actually plan to just dump all the heat generated into the sea. 

FACT: There is still no confirmed additional public subsidy available to pay for the installation of the giant heat network Forth Energy would need to make efficient use of the heat the proposed Leith plant would generate. This is because the UK government just pulled it at the 11th hour after the EU said the proposed rates for big biomass were too high.

"These plants will produce not just reliable, renewable electricity (500MW – or around 9 per cent of Scotland's predicted 2020 demand), but 320MW of heat too – nearly a third of the Scottish Government's 2020 target of 11 per cent of heat from renewable sources."

FACT:  There are plenty of studies, including ones conducted by the Scottish Government themselves, that indicate Scotland will have no trouble keeping the lights on, or meeting its renewable energy targets regardless of whether these plants are given the green light.

FACT: The Forth Energy proposals do nothing to support current Scottish Government policy, which is for small, decentralised units which are scaled to an identified heat demand, and located off the gas grid. 

"This heat provides the opportunity for Scotland to create a renewable heat industry – with the potential for district heating networks nearby."

FACT: Forth Energy admit it'll be difficult to build a heat network in the planning applications - you should read the feasiblity study - and that's why they haven't committed to doing any of it without a huge amount of public subsidy. Apart from cash there are many other practical problems associated with using the heat. How will Forth Energy persuade thousands of private home owners, most with relatively low carbon gas heating already, to install a whole new heating system? Are local residents prepared to tolerate their streets being dug up again?

"Low carbon? From burning wood? The Scottish Institute of Sustainable Technology at Heriot-Watt University projects the carbon intensity of Forth Energy's plants at well inside the Scottish Government's threshold while also meeting all UK and EU emission limits."

FACT: The Scottish Institute of Sustainable Technology figures have never been peer reviewed, or published anywhere apart from the Forth Energy website. There is no clarity on what assumptions have been made in the Forth Energy figures about heat use. If the track record of the firm is anything to go by, then it is likely these claims are based on an assumption that heat from the plants will be used. But, as we've already established, the planning documents contain no firm commitment that any heat will in fact be used.

FACT: Forth Energy have produced new promotional leaflets with graph-like-pretty-pictures like the one below, also with no information on how these figures were derived:

 
Is it sustainable to ship wood from overseas? We will buy wood fuel from certified sources, grown and managed to international standards.

FACT: Forth Energy have carefully avoided committing themselves to any international forestry standard in their planning application. Even if they did there isn't one that guarantees that forests will be managed in a way that ensures the carbon they store is not reduced as it is harvested and managed. This fact has not stopped them using the widely respected FSC logo in their presentations to politicians.

FACT: If Forth Energy get planning permission for these power plants it is likely they will be able to burn timber from wherever they choose. It is very rare for biomass power plants to have planning conditions attached to them that specify the source and standard of the fuel. 

"The carbon intensity of our wood fuel (including processing and shipping) averages 79 per cent lower than coal and 44 per cent less than gas."

FACT: In their planning application, Forth Energy use several different methods that are likely to overstate the carbon savings that their proposed plants will deliver. We identify some in our objection to the plant, but if you don't believe us, Government body, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency also have concerns. 

"This £1.7 billion investment creates important opportunities for Scotland. In addition to 1,350 construction jobs and 285 permanent operational roles, these plants will generate £26-£32 million per year in local economic growth. They will support existing local businesses with low carbon heat and encourage industrial hubs at both Grangemouth and Rosyth, while supporting new renewables manufacturing hubs at Dundee and Leith."

FACT: The renewables manufacturing hubs proposed at Dundee and Leith are a bit like the plans to build a massive heat network. They sound great, but they're totally unconfirmed, and unlikely to happen any time soon.

FACT: The other thing the development of the renewables manufacturing hubs and the heat networks have in common is that they're not inexorably linked to the planning application for the giant power plants Forth Energy propose. It is perfectly possible to develop one without the other.

FACT: Earlier regeneration plans for the docks had the potential, according to Forth Ports own figures, to generate far more jobs. Also,  local businesses, Visit Scotland, SNH and Architecture and Design Scotland have all voiced concerns over the negative economic impact of building a large power station on Leith docks. 

Scotland faces challenges if we want to create a sustainable, renewable future.

You can read Calum Wilson's original article on the Scotsman website here.

£84Million loan experiment to re-start harbour regeneration

The Scottish Government has agreed to allow the City of Edinburgh Council to borrow £84million to fund infrastructure works in the docks area, in a financial first for the UK. The money will be borrowed against future tax revenues, using a mechanism called "Tax Incremental Funding," or TIF.

The investment will see a new lock gate built, that will allow boats to enter and leave the docks more easily, potentially opening the way for more cruise liners, a cross Forth ferry and 'marina' type uses of the Harbour area.

Further improvements will include the construction of new 'finger piers' into the docks, to allow more boats to berth there, a cruise liner terminal, and another section of the Edinburgh Waterfront Promenade, that will run around the Harbour, roughly from the new Asda at Western Habour, to the far Northern tip of Ocean Terminal.

This investment will go some way to remedying some of the failings of the existing building on the site, as well as helping to deliver on some of the priorities local people identified for the area. Key to this is improving public access to the waterfront, establishing a more 'active' use of the water, and reorientating Ocean Terminal so that it is less inward looking, instead it will open out onto the docks.

Of course, if all this promised activity on the docks actually happens, it will also work wonders to strengthen the business case for completing the tram project to Newhaven too.

Unsurprisingly, given that Forth Ports own the docks, 100% of Ocean Terminal and much of the land that is set to be developed, it's share price (at the time of writing) was rising.

Whilst this investment is to be welcomed, we can still remember the debate at the planning committee earlier this year, where Forth Ports pleaded poverty in response to calls from planners to put some money into the public infrastructure required to support the construction of what is essentially another new town.

Despite calls from Cllr Munro, Cllr Morris and Cllr Burgess, for a greater contribution from Forth Ports towards infrastructure, the council "agreed to agree later" on the precise amount of contributions the private company should make. We also remember Cllr Childs comments that the TIF process seems capable of funding 'regeneration bling,' but not some of the things that are needed to make the development a genuine, long term success. Things like sustainable transport improvements in the wider neighbourhood, affordable housing and renewable energy infrastructure.

So, whilst there may be no TIF money to pay for cycle paths to connect to the docks, it will however pay for a new 'link road' between Seafield Road and Ocean Drive.