The Edinburgh Reporter March 2023

55

By FOYSOL CHOUDHURY

Labour MSP for Lothian

A PUBLIC HEARING will not now take

place regarding the planning application

22/0384/FUL (Student Accommodation)

72-74 Eyre Place.

On 11 January 2023, it was

unanimously agreed by the The City of

Edinburgh Council’s Planning and

Development Management Sub-

Committee that a hearing should be

held, so that local residents and

developers could make their case in the

council chambers, before a final vote was

held. However, the developers CA Europe

Operating Company have appealed and

a Reporter, (a lawyer appointed by

Scottish Government Ministers), will

instead decide upon the merits of the

planning application.

I am deeply concerned that the public

hearing will not take place and that the

voices of the local residents will not be

heard, when nearly 400 objections to the

planning application were received from

residents.

DEMOCRACY SIDELINED

The decision on the planning application

was to be made by the councillors, and

the local residents wanted and needed

an opportunity to raise their views about

this issue, as they are the ones who will

be living with the outcome of the

planning decision, on a daily basis.

By calling in a Reporter, local democracy

has been sidelined. So many of my

constituents have contacted me to tell

me that the community is in despair and

how furious they are that their voices

can be silenced in such a manner.

I fully understand their anger about

this matter.

The Scottish Government purportedly

believes in local democracy, and yet the

planning legislation allows the voices of

local councillors and residents to be

completely bypassed. This legislation is

clearly not fit for purpose and I will

endeavour to raise this important issue

at the Scottish Parliament. It is vital that

local democracy is not circumvented,

and that people’s voices are not

silenced in this way.

No say for locals

on Eyre Place

student flats

Gary Baker

Funding for advice service

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

A NEW JUNCTION, ‘Junction 1B’, has opened

for northbound local access on the M9 at

Winchburgh, with southbound routes into the

village to follow in the next couple of months.

But the promised railway station appears to

be halted for now. At a meeting of the Council

Executive in April last year councillors heard

the background to the proposed station.

Transport Scotland and the lead developer

Winchburgh Developments Ltd (WDL) were to

be responsible for funding and delivering a new

station for the town.

Winchburgh is one of West Lothian’s Core

Development areas which allows for the

development of 3,450 houses meaning that the

population will grow from 2,400 to 14,000 in

the next decade.

To support the housing development a

number of infrastructure improvements were

identified including the provision of a railway

station on the main Edinburgh - Linlithgow -

Glasgow rail line. However the council’s report

stated that there is no condition in the planning

consent which it was believed had placed an

absolute requirement on the developer to

provide the railway station.

Vehicles can now access the northbound

routes entering and exiting the M9, with

southbound routes in and out of Winchburgh

to follow soon. This marks the first link in a

chain of roads connecting routes through

Winchburgh and on to the major roads

network on its doorstep.

Located adjacent to Duntarvie Castle, the

new M9 junction has four slip roads connecting

to the existing motorway embankment and

provides access to the M9 from north and

south. It offers commuters, local businesses and

visitors easy, quick access by car to the

Queensferry Crossing to the east and Glasgow,

Stirling and Falkirk to the west.

The developer is keen to stress that the new

road layout also includes non-motorised user

(NMU) provisions linking into existing walking

and cycle routes that connect the surrounding

villages to the wider green network.

John Hamilton, Chief Executive of

Winchburgh Developments Ltd, said: “This first

step in the opening up of the M9 motorway

junction marks a significant moment in

Winchburgh’s masterplan to connect the

growing community to the surrounding

transport network through core roads and

upgraded bus services. Local residents,

businesses, and visitors will be able to access

routes across the central belt that have

previously completely bypassed Winchburgh.”

Graeme Paget from Transport Scotland said:

“We’re pleased to have played our part in this

project over the past three years, and welcome

the improved connectivity this new junction

brings to the residents of Winchburgh.

“It’s also important to highlight the benefits

of the improved active travel links to local

walking and cycling routes connecting to the

surrounding villages.”

The developer said that the new M

junction and extensive investment in core

and distributor road links have been

designed to complement the existing bus

service and Winchburgh’s active travel plans

and mark a significant next stage in

Winchburgh’s overall evolution.

THE CITY OF Edinburgh

Council is extending funding to

its Energy Advice Service for

Council tenants, helping even

more households to cut down

on costs and carbon emissions.

Funded by the Council and

delivered by leading

environmental charity

Changeworks, the service will

give tenants the best energy

advice all aimed at helping them

save money on their bills.

An additional £158,

funding will allow the service to

do more supporting even more

tenants through the current

energy crisis and beyond.

Cllr Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s

Housing, Homelessness and Fair

Work Convener, said:

“At a time when energy costs

are soaring, the help provided

by the Energy Advice Service

is vital.

“Over 4,400 of our tenants

have saved £1.5m between

them since the project began so

I’m really pleased to extend this

support even further. The move

will provide tenants with the

opportunity to speak to

someone about their bills,

reduce carbon emissions and

hopefully save money.

“Since the start of the

cost-of-living crisis we have

been encouraging tenants to

get in touch with us if they are

struggling financially. It’s so

important to make sure people

are getting all the benefits and

advice they are entitled to and

we have a wealth of support and

information online.”

Accessing all areas

Plans for new railway station halted but new motorway junction built

Cllr Jane Meagher