Craigleith/Blackhall

The Edinburgh Local Development Plan Main Issues Report was recently published and the response to this document is set out below.

CRAIGLEITH/BLACKHALL COMMUNITY COUNCIL

COMMENTS ON EDINBURGH LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

MAIN ISSUES REPORT

General Comments

As a long established community in north west Edinburgh, the Community Council recognises that Craigleith and Blackhall is not likely to be an area of large-scale housing growth or significant change. The Main Issues Report (MIR) focuses on how and where future development should be accommodated, an important role of the new Local Development Plan. Nevertheless the Community Council is disappointed that the MIR appears to do so at the cost of safeguarding the amenity of the existing residential communities and pays little recognition to the current issues and problems affecting established areas such as Craigleith and Blackhall.

As one of the main traffic arteries entering the city, Queensferry Road (together with Telford Road) has a significant role and impact on the Craigleith/Blackhall area. The existing high traffic volumes, including a large number of HGVs, result in intrusive noise levels, traffic pollution, and generate significant conflicts with pedestrians. Other than pedestrian lights at Blackhall Dip and pedestrian phases at the major junctions, much of the road is difficult for local residents to cross and is therefore divisive. The success and growth of the Craigleith Retail Centre (recognised in the MIR as a commercial centre) has further exacerbated the traffic issues on Queensferry Road.

Furthermore there is no cross reference in the MIR to the development control policies which have a role in safeguarding the existing amenity against inappropriate housing and other development.

Two of the aims arguably touch on these matters, but in terms of options for the forthcoming local development plan there are no particular policies or proposals offered for consideration.

Craigleith/Blackhall Community Council would therefore expect the forthcoming Edinburgh Local Development Plan to provide a more effective city wide planning context, not only for new green field development or potential major changes such as at Leith, but equally for established residential communities, which form the majority of the Edinburgh urban area.

Question 2 – Do you agree with the preferred option to meet the requirements for 2000 houses in West Edinburgh? Or do you support the site listed as a reasonable alternative?

Maybury Road has for a long period provided a most effective visual green belt boundary. In doing so it has also provided a visually impressive gateway into the city from the west. While not opposed to the Maybury 1 and 2 sites, any development should seek to maintain the green corridor introduced by the East Craigs and more recent developments. It is also disappointing that the forthcoming tram route will serve none of the proposed housing sites directly.

The development of up to 2000 houses plus the development of new business parks close to the airport additional to the existing Edinburgh Park/Gyle area, has therefore the potential to increase further the traffic volumes on Queensferry Road and other city roads. Continued housing and business growth in Dunfermline and other areas of Fife, part of the greater Edinburgh Strategic Plan area, will also have a detrimental impact on future traffic and environmental conditions on Queensferry Road.

Against this background Craigleith/Blackhall Community Council recommends that part of the site West of Maybury Road should therefore be safeguarded and developed as a new park-and-ride facility to assist in addressing the existing and future traffic issues on Queensferry Road, rather than solely for housing. The existing Ferrytoll park-and-ride facility in Fife has not brought any obvious benefits to north-west Edinburgh, perhaps because of its distance from the city. The proposal for an additional park-and-ride facility is consistent with Aim 3 : Sustainable Transport, set out in the MIR.

We do not have comments on other consultation questions.