Planning application in for this: bit.ly/2S51GY2
Wonder if they can do anything to make it safe get there by bike.
Previously mentioned here, and possibly elsewhere, but I couldn't find a dedicated thread and figured it deserved one.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Pentland Trail Centre at Lothianburn
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Posted 5 years ago #
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Looks like there is a Consultation on Tuesday 05 March, between 14:00 and 19:00 at Ground Floor Suite, Swanston Golf Clubhouse, 111 Swanston Road, Edinburgh, EH10 7DS
We did receive a full press release, in full below:
Press release – Wednesday 27 February 2019
The new Pentland Trail Centre – The future for Edinburgh biking
In 2023 Scotland will host the World Championships for all cycling disciplines including mountain biking.
Two local businessmen are behind a new mountain bike trail centre that could revolutionise cycle participation in East Central Scotland.
Proposals for the creation of The Pentland Trail Centre, a publicly accessible and family focused mountain bike trail centre, supported by a relevant
leisure based commercial development, will be presented at an open public consultation on Tuesday 5 March 2019 at Swanston Golf Clubhouse, 111 Swanston Road, Edinburgh, EH10 7DS, between 14.00 and 19.00 where feedback and comments are invited.The site for the trail centre is located within the boundary of the former Lothianburn Golf Course, sitting inside both the City of Edinburgh city
boundary and the Pentland Hills Regional Park.The easy to access Pentland Trail Centre will offer an excellent introduction to traffic-free cycling for kids and their families, as well as more
challenging cross-country trails for Edinburgh and Midlothian’s estimated 260,000 cyclists.The terrain and location of the site is ideal for 10.5km of high quality and fun mountain bike trails to suit all abilities (from green route for beginners to red route for the more experienced). Other outdoor activities to suit a wide range of ages and interests are being considered for the site. These include a high ropes course, a zipline and an alpine roller luge.
Developed from a 2014 Feasibility Study and subsequent public consultation, The Pentland Trail Centre is an initiative of Hillend Leisure Ltd, a new company established by Alastair McClung (Swanston Farms, the landowner of the Lothianburn site) and Stuart Wright (Advie Properties and formerly responsible for Dobbies’ development activities). Both are keen mountain bikers and qualified Mountain Bike Leaders. They have the vision of bringing land ownership, leisure management and leisure-based property development together to deliver a rare opportunity right next to Edinburgh.
The outdoor trail centre, occupying more than 80% of the site, will be supported by a commercial development to include café facilities, changing facilities, relevant retail, office space and accommodation 'pods'. It will be located in the valley to the rear of the Steading Inn and between the northern slopes of the Pentland Regional Park and the central ridge that runs from the old golf clubhouse up to the T woods.
Alastair McClung stated: “Our passion is to introduce mountain biking to a much wider audience, on the perfect site, right next to the city. It’s the ideal use of the old golf course site and is a perfect gateway to the rest of the Pentland Hills. By introducing a commercial element the project can move from a vision to reality”
The suitability of the former Lothianburn golf course for a mountain bike trail centre was highlighted in a 2014 Feasibility Study. A subsequent public consultation of the proposals recorded very high levels of local support (more than 96%).
The aims of the Pentland Trail Centre project have been supported by Scottish Cycling as the ideal development to improve cycling participation, with good traffic free trails easily accessible from the City of Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Graeme McLean, Project Manager for Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland at Scottish Cycling, said: "We look forward to being involved in the consultation process for the new Pentland Trail Centre development; and to understand further how it is going to increase participation in mountain biking in Edinburgh and the surrounding area."
Ends
A pre-Application Consultation for a mountain bike trail centre in 2015
An extremely positive public consultation process for the original project mountain bike and activity centre plans was undertaken in March 2015. 82% of the responses were unequivocal in their support, with a further 14% offering qualified support. There was considerable excitement about the project with many offers to help and get involved at a community level. The comments also highlighted the perceived very real benefits to the local community and Edinburgh. The project was put on hold as funding options for the project were explored.
The main themes that got regular mentions at the 2015 Pre-Application consultation for the trail centre facility were:
· Accessibility to mountain biking for locals and the City as a whole
· Ideal learning environment for young cyclists and newcomers to the sport
· Gateway to Pentlands, improved accessibility and incentive to participate in outdoor activities
· Good use of land
· Adds facilities to the local area
· Good for schools and families with children
· Reduces need to travel to other trail centres
· Promotes healthy lifestyle
· Employment for locals
· Limited impact on environment· Compliments existing range of activities
Edinburgh’s Physical Activity and Sport Strategy
(CEC Culture and Sport Committee, March 2014)
“Cycling has a valuable role to play as a means of transport, a leisure activity and as a sport. Edinburgh has one of the highest cycling levels of all urban areas in Scotland but more will be done to continue increasing all forms of cycling.”
Scottish Cycling Facilities Strategy
(Scottish Cycling, April 2014)
“The future growth and success of the sport is fundamentally linked, therefore, to re-establishing the importance of dedicated cycle-sport facilities and to securing adequate funding and support to provide safe and accessible facilities for developing riders and racing.”
Posted 5 years ago # -
Fixed link from first post: http://www.bit.ly/2S51GY2
Posted 5 years ago # -
Should be good as long as there's plenty parking.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Consultation on Tuesday 05 March, between 14:00 and 19:00 at Ground Floor Suite, Swanston Golf Clubhouse
Tomorrow.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Hopefully the expected delivery of cycle carriage on the Borders Buses X62 might persuade Lothian Buses of the viable market for carrying bikes on services out to Hillend or along the A198/A71/A701 &c - especially at night
The 4, the 15/X15, and the 400* Airlink would be the relevant service, should anyone be going along to the consultation. Or who operates the services out to Carlops & West Linton?
* this could well be a good service for cycle carriage, if the racks for luggage are carefully designed to fit bikes/large cases in at the lower level, and likely to have space by the time it reaches the by-pass/A702 junction.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Also the 4 goes to Hillend, and another (is it the 11?) stops at what is now Craigdons.
Posted 5 years ago # -
You can cycle offroad from Bonaly/Colinton, or Dreghorn along to hillend. Hopefully they'd put in some sort of connection for that to the centre.
Was out in the Pentlands this morning. What a glorious resource.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@fimm: The 11 (heading out of town) turns left along Frogston Road West at the Fairmilehead lights. The other route that crosses the Lothianburn junction and passes Hillend is the 15/X15. Between them the 4 and the 15/X15 run rather more frequently then the half-hourly 400 (and I could foresee potential issues with bikes and holiday luggage competing for space on that service).
I think I'll have to pop along to Swanston Golf Club on my way home this evening to have a look at precisely what they're proposing. I'm a bit concerned about the words posted above: "It will be located in the valley to the rear of the Steading Inn". That's currently a quiet wee glen which is a bit of haven for certain kinds of wildlife which aren't so keen on hillsides with low-growing vegetation or intensively managed golfing grounds. If that valley gets built over it will be a massive shame IMO. I would seem to make more sense to me for them to put their café, changing rooms, retail and office space, and accommodation in the area around the old Lothianburn clubhouse (though the residents of the houses 200m to the north would no doubt kick up a fuss at suddenly finding a commercial operation on their doorstep).
That would also help with access by bike: the landrover track from Old Swanston (I think it's signposted as the "skyline walk" or something) - which is within the red line on the location drawing - comes out smack bang next to the clubhouse. That would eliminate any need to even set a tyre on the nominally 40mph A702.
Old Swanston itself is fairly easily reached offroad from the back road in to Dreghorn Barracks, though there are a couple of gates that have to be negotiated (my bikes won't go through the kissing gates so I have to lift them over, which is "a good workout" when I'm on the eMTB).
I don't think it's quite so straightforward from Colinton/Bonaly: IIRC every non-road route that crosses the bypass involves steps at some point. However, it is pretty easy to go through Bonaly to the new Polofields development on usually very quiet roads*, then through Covenenters Wood and round the outside of the barracks on the helpfully provided tarmac path which runs outside the security fence, to pick up the rear access road to the barracks and then proceed as above.
* Though they may get busy around commuting hours - I don't go that way at those sorts of times to know for sure.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Whats happening in the Old Farimilehead Hotel site now? I see an interesting 'Gateway' at the mountain sports store, with a path connecting to Caryside, going past the derelict hotel and thence to 20mph Swanston Road its bridge over the bypass directly to the Golf Club
If there is a major commitment to develop this, why not have the Car Parking North of the bypass around the Hotel and sports store and either a cycled link via Swanston Road or an improved pedestrian/cycle crossing or the bypass which avoids having to cross the busy and constricted arrangement of slip roads and mini roundabouts, and connects to the rump of Biggar Road with its link to Swanston Road along the Southern boundary of the by-pass
Posted 5 years ago # -
What derelict hotel? The Fairmile Inn was demolished years ago, and Craigdon Mountain Sports is there now.
There is a back route to Caiyside but the dropped kerb on Swanston Drive is easy to miss. The sensible access of course would be a bridge over the bypass, connecting old Biggar Road with either the Craigdon car park or the aforementioned path. The roundabouts are impossibly busy to go trying to sort out cycle paths.
I must try the farm track parallel with the bypass, beween Old Biggar Road and Swanston. I've never been along there before, as far as I can remember.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Tulyar: why not have ... an improved pedestrian/cycle crossing of the bypass which avoids having to cross the busy and constricted arrangement of slip roads and mini roundabouts, and connects to the rump of Biggar Road with its link to Swanston Road along the Southern boundary of the by-pass
As Arellcat says, a pedestrian/bike bridge there would be great - 100% in favour of that idea. But once over the bypass there shouldn't be any need to head west if the buildings associated with the trail park do end up where the Lothianburn clubhouse is: it shouldn't be beyond the wit of humankind to make the 200m of footway from the south end of the "rump" of Biggar Road to where the "skyline path" emerges shared use. It's already wider than normal for a fair part of its length because of the way that the footway which gives access to the parking bays before the roundabout diverges at a narrow angle.
That path that runs south of and parallel to the bypass isn't ideal anyway IMO. It gets quite muddy during and after wet weather. If you want to approach the old Lothianburn golf course via Old Swanston then the route that Arellcat described along Caiyside would seem preferable.
(As for my earlier remark about objections from the local residents to commercial developments, I had of course overlooked the fact that Buckstone Roofing, a pet grooming salon, a couple of other small businesses and the Esso garage are already there.)
Posted 5 years ago # -
Event is busy, mostly local residents as far as I can tell. Only one other bike outside. No bike racks.
Posted 5 years ago # -
It's a golf club. The boot on a bike isn't big enough for a golf bag - plus, for the lazy, an electric golf trolley (I know, I know...)
This certainly used to be a prime design consideration for 'executive' saloons, back in the day. Given the size of some of the Mercs and Audis I encountered in various car parks this weekend just gone, it's now more like whether the boot could feasibly be run as an air b'n'b.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Actually, I realised on the way out that there are a couple of bike racks. Just out of sight on the left hand side of the road here. I'll add to OSM soon.
Asked the person with "Transport" written on their name badge if there were plans to improve cycling routes to the site. Their answer could be summarised as "No", or at least "Not yet".
Main access is planned to be from the A702, although there's likely to be nothing preventing people accessing from other sides.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I was there about 17.00, it was indeed busy. I arrived just as Stella Thomson was leaving, and Cllr Scott Arthur arrived.
I didn't see the bike parking until I was leaving; Sheffield stands to the left and away a bit from the main entrance, but there was a wheelbender lurking around the corner to the right of the entrance. Since I rolled up in the torpedo, I had no need for either.
Lots of dotted red arrows on the plans for 'possible' access routes.
I also took them to task on the artist's impression of the trail hub building, complete with a full set of wheelbenders.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Was quite busy when I stopped in on my way home. The drawing did indeed show the trailhead facilities behind the Steading. Left comment suggesting that having them in the area near the old clubhouse would be easier for access on foot and by bike. Spoke to the environmental guy who said that the actual plans are still very fluid but the intention is as much as possible to use the old fairways, leaving the areas of natural cover more intact. I pointed out that, if that were the case, then putting the trailhead facilities closer to the old clubhouse - where there are acres of nothing but old fairway - would avoid impacting the natural cover along the watercourse.
Apparently a lot of people had been asking about the T wood. Current answer is that they need to complete an environmental survey before they can decide whether, and how, they can run trails through there. But basically the wood seems to be staying put.
I had a pretty good look around for the racks but couldn't spot them; it was very dark - that unlit road is not at all nice to walk along at night :( The bikes that were parked there when I was there were all locked to the very obvious railings at the front of the building!
(They had a useful list of past planning applications for the area, including two hotels, and a park and ride which I thought had never got anywhere close to getting off the ground. The planning consent for the P&R was granted in 2009 so in theory should have expired six years ago - I think it was a rubbish location for it anyway. The consent for the hotel opposite the old Lothianburn clubhouse was granted in 2012 so should also have expired by now. The hotel next to the Steading appears to be going ahead.)
Posted 5 years ago # -
I also remarked unfavourably on the "wheelbenders" on the artist's impression on Twitter. It should be noted that all the racks at Glentress are wheelbenders - this is not a good reason for putting more in here, but does explain why non-cyclists might think wheelbenders would be used at a mountainbike center.
Posted 5 years ago # -
“It should be noted that all the racks at Glentress are wheelbenders“
Really??
Anyone use them?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Yes, many people do (there being no alternative). They are right next to the cafe. Some people do dump their bikes on the adjacent bank instead. MTB wheels are at the more robust end of the scale...
Posted 5 years ago # -
usually just to stick the bike in while having cake in the cafe where you can see the bikes, never seem to be locked.
I did once lock my bike there when I went for a run but wasn't entirely comfortable with it.
Posted 5 years ago # -
“
Pentlands to Porty Pathway
There has been a meeting with Ironside Farrar, which is carrying out a feasibility study on the proposals drawn up by The Friends Group for a Pentlands to Porty Pathway. The good news is that much of the route to the sea is already there. Also, there are ambitions from Midlothian Council to create a pathway on the south of the city bypass that links through to the Pentlands. There is also a major new biking facility being proposed at Hillend, which would work extremely well with our proposals. Indeed, a linking pathway would help with the viability of the proposed centre.Sadly the proposals we’ve seen don’t follow the route of the burn beyond Burdiehouse and we have raised concerns in that regard. The Friends committee will be considering the issues raised in due course and making a formal submission. We will keep you informed of developments.
“
Friends of Burdiehouse Burn newsletter
Posted 5 years ago # -
"Sadly the proposals we’ve seen don’t follow the route of the burn beyond Burdiehouse and we have raised concerns in that regard."
Do they mean to the west, or the east? If westwards from Burdiehouse then, as you yourself pointed out on the main Pentlands to Porty thread, it isn't even called the Burdiehouse Burn until downstream of the confluence of the Swanston and Lothian burns.
It is already more than feasible, on an MTB or XC bike at least, to get from Broomhills via Morton Mains and the quiet residential roads of Winton, to reach the Biggar Road. Cross that and, as noted up thread, there are further quiet residential roads which take you to Swanston Road, thence in to the Pentlands.
What's missing would appear to be a traffic-free route between Burdiehouse Road and Broomhills - something that could have been (?is actually be going to be?) facilitated by the new developments happening to the west of Burdiehouse Road.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@ejstubbs - they mean both (I should probably clarify that I am part of the "they" here).
Westwards, the bypass creates (possibly surmountable) problems following the burn.
Eastwards, for a variety of reasons, at least one of the organisations who would be contributing financially to the project would prefer the route to go through the middle of Moredun, rather than following the burn.
Posted 5 years ago # -
"Through the middle of Moredun"
Tell me that's not following the current 'quiet route' featuring the horrible hill (Craigour Ave) that's also a bus route on the uphill and used as quite the rat run at peak times?
(For anyone going that way, it's an easier time using the pathways over the grass from the high rises towards Moredun Park Rd on the uphill.)
Posted 5 years ago # -
Both of those routes (amongst others) are being considered. Can't actually remember which was the current preferred option, but it's early doors too.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Posted 2 years ago #
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@cb: I have to admit that my first thought on seeing the photo of the Craigdon building at the top of that article was one of no great surprise, because I've never noticed it being all that busy, and the only time I've been in there the prices made me wince a bit. So I was a little surprised to see the cafe is supposed to be popular with locals.
Obviously, though, the death of the owner changes the complexion of the situation somewhat.
Condolences to the family for their loss.
Posted 2 years ago #
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