6 NEWS
Resistance to Canonmills student flats
By DONALD TURVILL
Local Democracy ReporterAN EDINBURGH library is to remain
closed for the foreseeable future after it
was discovered the ‘entire roof ’ contains
potentially dangerous crumbling concrete.
The council says inspections to
determine which of its buildings contain
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
(RAAC) are “substantially complete”.
The bubbly, lightweight material linked
to cases of collapsing roofs has been
discovered in 12 operational properties
owned by the authority including eight
schools, none of which have had to
completely close as a result.
The council is bracing for a huge bill to
carry out all the necessary remedial works,
with an update on the total costs expected
early next year.
In Blackhall Library, one of the worst
affected sites, surveys found that the
“entire roof area” has RAAC.COUNCIL REPORT
A council report said: “More detailed
analysis is ongoing due to significant
ceiling coverings and equipment that
needs to be removed. The library will
remain closed meantime,” officials said in a
report to the Finance and Resources
Committee. “The inspection of the council’s
operational estate, for the identification of
RAAC, is substantially complete.
“There are few areas, in a limited
number of buildings that require specialist
equipment and/or additional works to
expose the structural elements and these
are being worked through incrementally
to finalise the inspections.”
Partial roof replacements are required
at Trinity and Cramond primary schools,
where some pupils have been moved
into temporary classroom units erected in
the playground.
Also called siporex, the low-cost building
material was widely used to construct
roofs, walls and floors between the 1950s
and 1990s.
But with a lifespan of around 30 years,
there are now major concerns over the
safety of buildings up and down the
country, which promoted an eleventh-
hour decision by the UK Government to
shut over 100 schools in England just
before the new term began in September.
A motion passed by councillors in
September noted all costs associated with
RAAC were “unplanned and unbudgeted”.
They warned as no additional funding
has been announced by the Scottish
Government the crisis “may result in cuts
to other vital areas of council spending”.Blackhall Library
remains closed
US scientist Kim traces her ancestry to historic Canongate home
One of the family
By PHYLLIS STEPHENRESIDENTS IN Canonmills are
gathering themselves once more
to fight plans to build student flats
on a gap site behind their homes.
Developer CA Ventures has
resubmitted plans not dissimilar to
those refused permission by the
Government Reporter earlier this
year for the former Jewsons yard
on Eyre Place Lane. The new plans
reduce the scheme by two
townhouses and three student bed
spaces. But the residents say they
have not run out of steam.
An appeal by the developer
turned on “deemed refusal of the
application in February 2023” as
the council had not considered the
original plans within a reasonable
timescale. Opposition was fierce.The Reporter refused the
application by the student flat
development company who
have now regrouped and
resubmitted another application- a surprise for their neighbours.
The developers say the scheme has
been revised in terms of “design,
scale and massing”.
The application will be
considered at a council hearing on
6 December when resident Scott
Baxter will speak. He said: “There
are around 50 more objectors than
there were to the original
applications - some 450 people. We
were quite surprised by this and
ready to accept that people might
have lost impetus, but are all
heartened to realise it is even more
of an issue for residents.
“Our core action group feels the
developer has made as little
change as possible, just to
incorporate any issues the Reporter
mentioned. They’re just trying to
push through this proposal with
little effort for maximum gain.”
Celine Sinclair, CEO of
children’s charity, The Yard, a
neighbour to the site, said:
“We are bitterly disappointed to
learn that the potential for a major
development of this nature is still
being considered.
“The impact on local families has
been well voiced and we have
grave concerns in relation to health
and safety of our children and
families at The Yard.
“The site would be much
better suited to residential
housing. We are hopeful that
planners will see sense.”By STEPHEN RAFFERTYA US RESEARCH scientist walked in the steps
of her forefathers during a specially arranged
visit to 18th century Whitefoord House on
The Royal Mile.
North Carolina-based Kim El can trace her
family links to the historic Canongate home to
Caleb Whitefoord, the only son of Colonel
Charles Whitefoord, and cousin of third
baronet Sir John Whitefoord - the original
owner of Whitefoord House, which dates
to 1769 and was designed by the King’s
Master Mason.
The building is now owned by the
Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR), which
organised the visit after Kim’s stepfather
Donald L Barriger Jr wrote to the charity
informing them she would be in Edinburgh
attending a seminar.
The well-connected Whitefoord family had
Robert Burns and Walter Scott within their
social circle, and the multi-talented Caleb went
on to become an eminent scholar, wine
merchant, political satirist, diplomat and
trusted friend of Benjamin Franklin - one of
the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Caleb’s daughter Maria married Captain
Malcolm Laing Smith, and in due course, they
migrated to what is now Tasmania, Australia,
and Kim’s family is descended from one of their
children, Major Caleb John Lee Smith.
Colin Leslie, SVR Head of External
Relations, said: “We invited Kim to Whitefoord
House for a tour of the buildings and grounds,
and gave her an insight into how our charity
has provided accommodation and support to
veterans since it was established here in 1910, a
century after her ancestors had moved on.
“With so many military connections in herancestry, Kim was delighted to discover that
Whitefoord House is now the location for a
charity providing accommodation to ex-
servicemen and women. She was thrilled to see
that Sir John’s portrait hangs in the boardroom
at Whitefoord to this day, and it was our
pleasure to welcome a descendant of the
Whitefoord family, and give her the
opportunity to walk in the footsteps of some
of her ancestors.”
After her emotional visit Kim said: “I am so
grateful to everyone at SVR and I thoroughly
enjoyed my visit to Whitefoord House, which
allowed me to connect with a piece of myancestry. The sense of community radiated
within SVR and also between SVR and
surrounding communities. It was refreshing
and I am delighted to know that the house has
been put to such great use to serve veterans.”
Kim’s mother Dianne added: “When we
learned how close Kim would be to Whitefoord
House, Don was adamant that we should try to
make contact. From my perspective, it was a
chance to show my three daughters that there is
truly a valid family connection for us all back
to Scotland. This was a wonderful chance to
bring to life at least one part of the larger
family tree.”Kim El travelled from
South Carolina to Edinburgh