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[email protected]Editor: Phyllis Stephen
Designer: Tammy Kerr
Photos: Martin P McAdamTHE DUST has not yet settled but the
council has agreed a balanced budget for the
next year. Following a meeting during which
38 councillors spoke, the rate of council tax
has been frozen, and the details of what the
council will spend around £1.5 billion on in
the next year have been agreed. Read more
on Page 4.
Our food writer Kerry writes about the
ever-changing Edinburgh dining scene with
openings and closings. She also lauds the
restaurants which have a Michelin star -
probably more than you think. Brazilians
seem to be taking over the capital with the
opening of SushiSamba at the W Edinburgh
and now a second Churrasco restaurant on
George Street with RIO behind Assembly
Rooms which has just opened its doors to
meat lovers. Read more on Page 17.
Sport features high on our news agenda
this month with our front cover story of the
Paolozzi influence on the Leith Athletic girls
team who donned their new shirts on a visit
to Modern Two. Sir Eduardo Paolozzi’s work
is in evidence all over Edinburgh including
the Manuscript of Monte Cassino at St
Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral at the top of
Leith Walk, a gift from Sir Tom and Lady
Anne Farmer. The artist’s huge sculpture,
Wealth of Nations, will be moved to the RBS
HQ at Gogar after being removed from
Edinburgh Park when the RBS building
there was sold.
The late Peter Ritchie could be honoured
with the staging of his play, The Confession,
but funding is needed. Read more on Page 9.
Edinburgh residents are invited to eat out
in the city centre with offers available in a
month long promotion backed by Essential
Edinburgh. Find out more on Pages 12-13.
Former US Presidential hopeful Bernie
Sanders said during a recent visit to the UK
that any lack of local news coverage would
be “a disaster for democracy”. Please keep
reading our local news, tell your friends,
and, if you can, please subscribe or make a
donation by using the QR code on the right.
Phyllis Stephen, EditorBringing the news to you...
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ter.ooo/subscribePlanning News
THE FUTURE OF A LARGE SITE for housing
is unclear even after a planning application
was approved. The financial contribution to
education which the developer of 525 Ferry
Road, Artisan Real Estate, will have to pay if
they wish to continue their plans to create
new 256 new homes and commercial space
on the site of the former Deutsche Bank, was
decided on the flip of a coin.
The site is near the red bridge over Ferry
Road and perfectly positioned for any tram
extension to Granton. But the development
may no longer be viable after the decision by
the council’s Development Management
Sub-Committee who were tied on a vote.
The eleven councillors voted on three
options - four voted for a £1 million
contribution, four for the £3 million option
while the other three including the Convener,
Liberal Democrat councillor Hal Osler voted
to reject the application. This last option was
taken off the table and councillors then voted
again. Those who had already voted to reject
the plans abstained, and the vote remained
tied. Cllr Osler could have used her casting
vote but felt unable to as she had voted
against the plans. After a coin was flipped the
education contribution was set at £3 million.
David Westwater of Artisan Real Estate,said: “While we welcome the ‘minded to
grant’ decision by councillors for our
transformational development at 525 Ferry
Road, we now need to consider carefully our
next steps following the resolution to
increase the S.75 education contribution
significantly over and above that
recommended by the council’s planning
officers.
“A threefold increase in S.75 education
contribution to £3m would challenge theviability of any development - especially at a
time when the residential market is still
struggling to come to terms with the impact
of higher interest rates on mortgages and
developers are facing increased build and
construction finance costs. This decision
could delay or put in jeopardy the delivery of
this much needed housing in Edinburgh
which we had hoped would significantly
address the city’s well publicised “housing
emergency”.Pressing matters
The photo above from the Edinburgh Collected archive shows James
Blackie (aged 21) in the middle of the front row. John Greig & Sons was
a business based at Fountain House Works in Dundee Street,
Fountainbridge. They produced presses and other machinery for the
printing and bookbinding trade. Edinburgh Collected is an online
community photo archive managed by Edinburgh Libraries. Add your
own memories to help preserve the city’s history.
http://www.edinburghcollected.orgA CGI of development
at 525 Park View