City – Planning Edinburgh

City Plan 2030 – Key Agencies Workshop

Group discussion at the event

As covered previously, City Plan 2030 is moving forward ahead of a new timetable to be published in August this year. As part of a continued schedule of sessions to gather and build on our evidence needed for the plan we held a workshop to share our progress on City Plan 2030 to a number of people from key agencies and infrastructure providers who we are looking to involve in the project. By involving these organisations we can have proper regard for the provision of infrastructure in the plan.

invited2 — List of key agencies and infrastructure providers involved

The discussions were based around the choices we will have to make on key issues facing the city for the next decade. These included:

Where growth is to be allowed and what impact this would have on transport, energy networks, water and drainage, public health, etc.
How to support and plan for different sectors of industry.
How to best deal with travel and connectivity in and across the city.
Changes to infrastructure coming from carbon neutral targets and technological change.
How the plan will impact future investment in infrastructure.

The workshop was a chance for these agencies to find out more about City Plan 2030, and for us to update them on our progress and next steps.

The event not only allowed us to discuss and take in the views of key specialist agencies and continue to involve them in the making of the plan, but it has also allowed us to take into account the work they are doing and keep them updated on how City Plan may affect their own work in the future, e.g. where better public transport or active travel routes may be needed in the future.

programes — *City Plan 2030 in context with other plans and programmes*

This collaborative working will allow us to bring together a wider range of considerations for a joined-up plan which is more efficient, effective and fair.

Keep track of how this work will progress, and any City Plan 2030 updates by:

Visiting the website at gov.uk/cityplan2030
Subscribing to this blog at https://planningedinburgh.com
Following us on twitter at @planningedin
Join in the conversation by using the #cityplan2030 hashtag

Subscribe to the newsletter by emailing us at cityplan2030@edinburgh.gov.uk

City Plan 2030 – Commercial Needs Industry Study

Old unit, now demolished, Beaverhall Road

Recently completed units, Cuiltins Road

Having a healthy stock of land and spaces for a range of businesses to grow is a key concern in planning for a growing city. We commissioned a study on the supply and demand of business and industrial land in Edinburgh which found that there is 1.08 million square metres of industrial space in Edinburgh across 1,214 units which support an estimated 30,000 jobs.

The study shows the spatial pattern of all business and industry spaces, not just industrial estates that we designate for planning purposes. You can see from the map below the pattern of industrial space follows the historic siting of industry along the Water of Leith, where the river powered early industrial processes before coal or electricity was widely used.

industry spread — Industrial properties in Edinburgh

One of the main findings is that the industrial stock is ageing, as can be seen in the bar chart below, and this is reflected in the industry rating of the quality of the space. It shows that most of our industrial space is at least 40 years old as 57% was built during the 1980s or earlier, and 93% of Edinburgh’s industrial space is of a very basic standard.

industry age — Industrial property in Edinburgh by decade built

But rising rent and low vacancy rates tell us that demand for space is strong. However, speculative development of new units has been slow and industrial land has the potential to redevelop for other uses, especially to new homes in inner city areas such as Bonnington. Speculative development has been targeted to the west of the city, with good access to the trunk road network.

The study signals that more flexible floorspace will need to be built and/or refurbished to current standards to replace the older units and meet demand. We expect planning for modern industrial floorspace will be a key issue for City Plan 2030 and we will be reflecting on what delivering replacement premises means for the city’s spatial strategy.

We have also been looking at topics such as shopping and leisure and visitor accommodation and will be looking to share similar posts in future covering these. The commercial needs studies are available to view here.

City Plan 2030 – March Timetable Update

cpupdateimage2 As we mentioned in our City Plan Timetable Update, we’re revising the City Plan 2030 project timetable. We’re making these changes as we don’t want to ask for your views on the choices for City Plan until we know what is in another plan – the second Strategic Development Plan for South East Scotland.

We had hoped to carry out the main consultation for City Plan 2030 in the first half of 2019. However, this is now not possible. The main consultation for City Plan 2030 is now expected to take place in the latter half of 2019. We will publish a new Development Plan Scheme in August 2019 which will include the new timetable.

Until then, we will use this time to gather and build on our evidence and studies for Choices for City Plan and hold further engagement events in local places around the city. In the meantime, watch this space and keep up to date with the project by:

Visiting the website at gov.uk/cityplan2030
Subscribing to this blog at https://planningedinburgh.com
Following us on twitter at @planningedin
Join in the conversation by using the #cityplan2030 hashtag

Subscribe to the newsletter by emailing us at cityplan2030@edinburgh.gov.uk

City Plan 2030 – Timetable Update

As we mentioned in our last post of 2018, we’re now looking at revising the City Plan 2030 project timetable. We’re making these changes as we don’t want to ask for your view on the choices for City Plan until we know what is in another plan – the second Strategic Development Plan for South East Scotland.

The Strategic Development Plan is currently with Scottish Ministers. It hasn’t been approved yet, so we’re changing the project timetable. This means:

We will not report the Choices for City Plan 2030 (the main issues report) in January 2019.
We won’t be carrying out the main consultation from February to April 2019.
The events set out in our current Development Plan Scheme (from September 2018) will be moved to later in 2019.
The timing of the next stages in the City Plan 2030 project will be affected.

We still hope to carry out the main consultation in the first half of 2019 and will announce the dates of the new consultation period in the next couple of months (e.g. February or March). We will publish a new Development Plan Scheme with rescheduled consultation dates and events then too.

Until then, we will use this time to gather and build on our evidence and studies for Choices for City Plan and hold further engagement events in local places around the city.

In the meantime, watch this space and keep up to date with the project by:

Visiting the website at edinburgh.gov.uk/cityplan2030
Subscribing to this blog at https://planningedinburgh.com
Following us on twitter at @planningedin
Join in the conversation by using the #cityplan2030 hashtag
Subscribe to the newsletter by emailing us at cityplan2030@edinburgh.gov.uk

Development in Bonnington

Historically, Bonnington was a milling village that grew around the Water of Leith. The area has since been home to business and light industry, including the John Lewis depot, the former Crawfords Biscuits warehouse and the original Chancelot Mill (before it moved to Leith Western Harbour in the 1970’s).

Bonnington Mill In more recent years, as industry has declined, the area has had great potential to provide new homes for the city.

We created a long-term development brief for the area in 2008 to ensure that:

housing development did not prejudice existing businesses;
modern, flexible business space was still provided in the area; and
better connections were made between Bonnington and wider pedestrian routes, cycle networks and green spaces.

Our development brief covers the area highlighted in purple below. It’s been almost ten years since its publication – so, what has happened in that time?

fig 4b

Well, there’s been a wealth of redevelopment, and the area is almost unrecognisable when compared with the 1929 aerial shot. Development in Bonnington has been residential-led and there’s potentially a lot more to come.

We recently had a walk around Bonnington to visit completed development, sites under construction and sites currently being assessed for planning permission. These included:

Flaxmill Place

Located just off Newhaven Road, this development for 130 residential homes was granted planning permission in November 2012. The development was finished in 2016, on the site of the former Johnston Print Works. Although space for light industry has not been formally reinstated, business space has been provided. One unit is currently occupied.

Bonnington Village

Works to construct Bonnington Village are underway, just off Bonnington Road Lane. The development was granted planning permission in 2016 and works began in May 2017. The development will provide 214 homes, as well as two commercial units that will lie adjacent to the existing flats at Tinto Place. An improved north to south pedestrian link will also be delivered through the development.

West Bowling Green Street

The building works for 98 residential properties on West Bowling Green Street began in July 2017. As you can see in the plans below, both commercial and retail space is to be provided on the ground floor units fronting Anderson Place. The development will also deliver the foot way and cycle way we initially proposed in our development brief. You can see this route in Figure 4b above.

WBGS

As we move towards our next Local Development Plan, LDP 2, we will be reflecting on how well our policies for housing and employment space have been working. New employment space is being provided in Bonnington, however, it is not as flexible as the older industrial and storage buildings it is replacing. We still think there’s a need to provide industrial space in this part of the city.

The LDP 2 process is likely to include reassessing our approach to such areas, to ensure that a variety of employment sites are available across all parts of the city.

We will be looking for your input soon as we prepare to plan for the future of Bonnington and the wider city. In the meantime, you can view and comment on the range of planning applications we receive for the city on our planning portal.