http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Park-protesters-pledge-to-block.6633492.jp
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
"Park protesters pledge to block depot sell-off plan"
(9 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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I would prefer the site to be a derelict store for old benches etc. and for Inverleith Park to remain green but I wonder how the council is to raise money given it has a deficit of £90million and is about to receive a big cut in total budget for next year from John Swinney alongside a pledge to keep poll tax frozen.??? Given the economic climate the council would have to look at which parts of its estate could fetch a price. Some authorities sell off their graveyards and parks and pitches and schools and everything else they can sell. I am not advocating selling off the depot I just note that everytime the council comes up with some revenue generating scheme some group objects. I object to this proposal too but it would be good if citizens came up with schemes to generate revenue for the council. The council had a good one that I voted for [several times] it involved paying to bring your car into Edinburgh. That was a good one but I was in a minority.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"
Dear Fellow Friends of Parks,
I am contacting you on behalf of Friends of Inverleith Park to tell you about the latest threat to the integrity of Edinburgh's parks.
The Council are planning to sell off a corner of Inverleith Park for a private luxury housing development, and are currently preparing a planning application.
The local community is strongly against this, and so far, we have over 3,000 signatures on our petition.
:We want to preserve the Park as a recreational amenity for all - once it is sold it is lost forever. The council's argument is that this corner of the park, currently used as a Parks depot, is a "surplus property asset" and it is therefore, their job to deliver "best value" - ie sell it off to the highest bidder.If this area - which is in the geographical boundary of the Park and has always been used for horticultural purposes - is surplus to requirements, it should either be returned to parkland or for an alternative community use. (For which there are plenty of ideas!)
The site, next to the children's play park, will be known to some of you as in front of the public viewing platform for the Festival and New Year fireworks.Inverleith Park needs to be protected for the residents of Edinburgh and for future generations. Once it is gone it is gone, and a green light for development in a public park is setting a precedent.
We hope we can count on your support.
I have attached a petition, and a poster that I hope you will consider printing out for your Friends to sign, or to put in local shops. We have put lots of petitions and posters up in the Inverleith and Stockbridge area, but would like to spread our reach!
We have a Facebook page "SAVE INVERLEITH PARK" where you can register your support.
Our website address is: www.inverleithpark.co.uk
Thank you.
All the best,Fiona Houston
Save Inverleith Park campaign coordinator
Friends of Inverleith Park
Tel: 0790 0515774"
Posted 13 years ago # -
It is rediculous that they want to sell off city-centre land to build on. In 50 or 100 years time, do you think our descendants will thank us for swapping the tiny amount of green space remaining in exchange for a year-on-year easing of a temporary deficit?
Recreational land should be considered as essential as any other "essential service", if not moreso. You can always hire more (police/nurses/binmen/etc) but you can never unbuild people's houses...
Posted 13 years ago # -
I don't know enough about this specific case to comment, but in general I would rather they sell off brownfields in the city-centre than to build on farmland and greenbelt that will just generate more commuters!
Posted 13 years ago # -
It's the Council's lack of imagination that depresses me. I know the Council needs cash - but their only solution ever seems to be to sell off surplus land for property development. The property market is tanking - land is at its lowest value for years.
I agree with SRD re brownfield development, but in this case I would argue that Edinburgh doesn't need any more "luxury" homes. The city desperately needs housing affordable to people on modest incomes. Something tells me the good burghers of Inverleith would not be too supportive of the development of "affordable housing" on this site though.
What is needed then is a cash generating development that is compatible with a park and open to the local community and which can be reversed at some point in the future if needs be (e.g 5-aside football pitches, adventure playground, cafe, "premium" allotments - I don't know, this is all off the top of my head) which provides a steady annual revenue stream for the Council. Simply saying "don't do it" isn't really good enough as cash is desperately short. I would even suggest a skate/BMX park...
Posted 13 years ago # -
Very true, Morningsider. If the cooncil "really" wanted "value" for money (whatever that means) then they could sit on the land for a few more years and sell it in a more favourable market.
I like your idea of making the land generate revenue. Luxury allotments for all the budding Fearnley-Whittingstalls sounds like a good idea.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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Posted 12 years ago #
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