FOE Response Oct 07
Re. 07/01241/FUL, 07/01288/FUL, 07/01289/LBC,
07/01237/FUL, 07/01287/FUL, 07/01235/FUL
Dear Nr Nicolson,
Friends of the Earth Edinburgh would like to
respond to the above Caltongate detailed planning
applications. As a local group working for
sustainable development and sustainable
communities in Edinburgh, we hope you will find
our contribution useful.
-Good, useable buildings should be reused.
However, the above proposals would destroy two
tenements and the Canongate Ventures building.
This is a serious waste of energy -- both that
'embedded' in the current buildings and that
needed to build new ones. The current plan will
generate a large amount of unnecessary extra
carbon emissions. The Council has made a
commitment to work on reducing Edinburgh's impact
on climate change, and the time to start is now.
The development must be redesigned to include the
existing buildings instead of demolishing them.
-Common Good Land (currently occupied by an old
market building) should not be sold to a private
company. Part of sustainable development is
sustainable, thriving communities. Common Good
Land exists for the people and it should be
developed into a resource for the people of
Edinburgh, owned by the Council in trust. It is
disgraceful that the Council is selling off land
that was gifted to the citizens of Edinburgh.
There are many practical facilities for local
people that are needed in an area of town
increasingly being taken over by hotels, hostels,
and tourist shops.
-The above planning applications do not include
good recycling facilities for existing residents.
Providing for recycling in the Old Town has been
a big problem for the council and this is an
ideal opportunity to resolve it.
-The planning applications should include
comprehensive cycle facilities -- at a minimum
following Council guidelines on integrating cycle
facilities.
We hope that development of the area can be used
to genuinely improve the city's sustainability
and strengthen its communities. Please let us
know if we can be of any assistance, or provide
further information on any of the above points.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Todd
Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Edinburgh
c/o Edinburgh Peace & Justice Resource Centre
St. John’s Centre
Princes Street
Edinburgh EH2 4BJ
07/01237/FUL, 07/01287/FUL, 07/01235/FUL
Dear Nr Nicolson,
Friends of the Earth Edinburgh would like to
respond to the above Caltongate detailed planning
applications. As a local group working for
sustainable development and sustainable
communities in Edinburgh, we hope you will find
our contribution useful.
-Good, useable buildings should be reused.
However, the above proposals would destroy two
tenements and the Canongate Ventures building.
This is a serious waste of energy -- both that
'embedded' in the current buildings and that
needed to build new ones. The current plan will
generate a large amount of unnecessary extra
carbon emissions. The Council has made a
commitment to work on reducing Edinburgh's impact
on climate change, and the time to start is now.
The development must be redesigned to include the
existing buildings instead of demolishing them.
-Common Good Land (currently occupied by an old
market building) should not be sold to a private
company. Part of sustainable development is
sustainable, thriving communities. Common Good
Land exists for the people and it should be
developed into a resource for the people of
Edinburgh, owned by the Council in trust. It is
disgraceful that the Council is selling off land
that was gifted to the citizens of Edinburgh.
There are many practical facilities for local
people that are needed in an area of town
increasingly being taken over by hotels, hostels,
and tourist shops.
-The above planning applications do not include
good recycling facilities for existing residents.
Providing for recycling in the Old Town has been
a big problem for the council and this is an
ideal opportunity to resolve it.
-The planning applications should include
comprehensive cycle facilities -- at a minimum
following Council guidelines on integrating cycle
facilities.
We hope that development of the area can be used
to genuinely improve the city's sustainability
and strengthen its communities. Please let us
know if we can be of any assistance, or provide
further information on any of the above points.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Todd
Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Edinburgh
c/o Edinburgh Peace & Justice Resource Centre
St. John’s Centre
Princes Street
Edinburgh EH2 4BJ