Lining up for 2030
The Planning Convener talks about the progress of the City Plan
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH Council’s proposed City Plan 2030 was approved by the Planning Committee, moving it on to the next stage when it is sent to the Scottish Government for examination.This is part of a statutory process which has already taken years and there is no ‘long stop’ date for the government to give its final approval.
The Planning Convener, Cllr James
Dalgleish has been in his job for seven months, and is picking up the City Plan very much at the end of the process.
The Plan directs development by maximising the use of brownfield rather than greenfield land. Asked if the city has enough brownfield sites within the city boundary to provide the new homes Edinburgh needs, Cllr Dalgleish replied: “When officers are creating these plans and when we are scrutinising them, we cannot put in over-estimations. There have to be realistic targets, so we are confident that we have enough land. We don’t want to start building on the greenbelt, some of the most beautiful parts of the city. It is important we keep it natural and the way it is.”
The Plan has new provisions for student accommodation. But as to whether there would be a point when any new permissions for student accommodation would stop, Dalgleish agreed that this had been a hot topic.
He said: “It is not just student accommodation versus housing. One of the new policies in the City Plan is that if a development is brought forward for student accommodation on land area larger than 0.25
hectare then 50% of that has to be housing, and at least 35% of that has to be affordable housing.It is about getting the balance right. There are on the one hand many foreign students living in Edinburgh, but we also have a housing shortage.”
When the councillors on the Development
Sub-Committee consider applications for purpose built student accommodation there is a mechanism under which they have to look at any other student developments within an 800 metre radius. Dalgleish is hopeful that the policy will become more effective with more information from the new 2011 census and will lead to a better balance.
The new buzzword in planning circles is the creation of the 20 minute neighbourhood, meaning that people should be able to fulfil all their basic needs within a 20 minute return journey from their front door.
Cllr Dalgleish is very supportive of the new policy which was also one of the desires set out in Edinburgh Labour’s 2022 manifesto. He said: “I think that is the way our neighbourhoods should be set up - densely populated, but with a good mix of neighbourhoods, with local businesses, public services, and good access to transport links as well.
“An example of what we’re aiming to achieve is underway at Granton Waterfront where we’re strengthening the existing neighbourhood with a £1.3 billion project to develop a sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood residents will be proud of. It will be an area where people live in affordable environmentally friendly homes, have excellent transport and active travel links and access to lots of open and green space, arts, sports and culture.”
All documents submitted for examination by the council will be available to review on the Scottish Government DPEA website from early 2023 and a copy of the approved Proposed Plan is now available in Edinburgh Council libraries and at the reception in the City Chambers.