Author: Bruce Ryan

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Leith Programme Stakeholder Update 100: Phase 4 (Pilrig Street to McDonald Road) weekly lookahead

(adapted from an email sent by Michael Motion, Senior Project Manager, Turner & Townsend on 23 June 2017 at 22:45)

Weekly lookahead (w/c 26th June 2017)

Please see below details of works to be undertaken during the course of next week, and the associated worksite locations during the course of next week:

  • Complete grouting to the slabbed paving at the Library corner and open up areas to pedestrians where safe to do so
  • Commence paving to the N/W corner of Croall Place (West side of Leith Walk)
  • Commence paving to Brunswick Street footpath at the junction with Leith Walk
  • Continue paving to the east side of Leith Walk
  • Kerb realignment, and commence kerb laying at Brunswick Street junction
  • Continue works to the road crossings at McDonald Road junction, excavating the tracks and installing ducts

165 Leith Walk – Former Tram Depot Demolition

The former tram depot, located at 165 Leith Walk, is due for demolition: further communication will follow regarding the programme for these works in the coming weeks. The area will be cleared and a creative workspaces project will occupy part of this site.

The smaller building at the front of the former depot (165a Leith Walk) will be retained and refurbished to create a pilot partnership hub delivering local services.  The project is a collaboration between site owners, The City of Edinburgh Council and local arts trust, Out of the Blue.

The project team intends to hold a drop-in community event on 28th June, between 4.30pm – 7.00pm, in the McDonald Road Library.  At this event, there will be an opportunity to find out more about these proposals and to ask any questions.

Should you have any queries or concerns with regards to the above, please do not hesitate to contact me direct either at this Email or at leith.programme@edinburgh.gov.uk

Kind regards

Michael Motion
Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend

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Stakeholder Update 99. Weekly lookahead: Proposed works w/c 19th June 2017

(adapted from an email from Michael Motion, Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend, send on 2017_06_16 at 15:27)

Dear Stakeholder

I refer to the general update communication issued yesterday, and note below details of specific works that will be undertaken and associated works locations during the course of next week:

  • Reinstate cycleway surfacing, footpath slabbing and kerbs at Albert Place, outside Sainsburys
  • Continuing the cyclepath at Croall Place (East side of Leith Walk) to then be used for pedestrian footway, allowing slabbing to continue at this location
  • Complete the cyclepath surfacing at Croall Place (West side of Leith Walk) up to McDonald Road to be used as a pedestrian walkway
  • Complete slabbing outside the library corner of McDonald Road/Leith Walk
  • Brunswick Street to close on Monday 19th June to allow kerb realignment and slabbing to commence
  • Road crossings excavations on the southbound carriageway from Wednesday 20th June

Continue reading →

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Leith Programme Stakeholder Update 98: Phase 4 (Pilrig Street to McDonald Road)

(adapted from an email from Michael Motion, Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend at 14:57 on 2017_06_15.)

Dear Stakeholder

Firstly, please click here to access a FAQ sheet distributed at the Open Evening held last night at the McDonald Road library for your information. We continue to work with Crummock to try and minimise the disruption caused by the Land Engineering administration.  Once we have finalised the re-programming of the Works with Crummock we will issue a further communication setting out revised project timescales.

This update is to specifically confirm that Brunswick Street will close as of Monday 19th June for a period of 6 weeks to complete critical works at the junction with Leith Walk.  Local diversions will be in place for vehicles and pedestrian access will be maintained.

We have also directed the Contractor to recommence works within the McDonald Road/Brunswick Road junction starting next week to allow the scope of works within the areas of the road closures to progress.

More generally, footpath and cycleway works will continue at Albert Place / Brunswick Place, and slab laying will continue outside the library.  Following drainage works, we will also now be able to reinstate the footpath and cyclepath directly outside Sainsburys, just south of Middlefield, and this work will be started in the early part of next week.  This ultimately allows for the completion of the pedestrian crossing at this location across to Albert Place.

As part of an overall review of communications between the council and the affected stakeholders, we intend to issue a weekly update at the end of each week providing a lookahead of the works proposed to take place the following week, and the locations in which the contractor will be working.

Should you have any queries in regards to the above, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Kind regards

Michael Motion
Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend
Osborne House, 1 Osborne Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HG
t: +44 (0) 131 347 3400 | m: +44 (0) 7734 494607 | michael.motion@turntown.co.uk | www.turnerandtownsend.com

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Picnic in the Park 2017: Saturday 17 June

(adapted from an email from Friends of Pilrig Park

What: Picnic in the park 2017

When: Saturday 17th June

What time: 11.30am – 2.30pm

There will be live music, ice cream, face painting, home baking (all donations welcome!), chalks for the paths and a raffle with fantastic prizes from our very generous local businesses.

Please tell your friends and family, grab a picnic and come along.  It is a great way for the community to come together and for you to support your local park.

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Community Choices fund: new money for participatory budgeting

(adapted from an email from Citizen Participation Network.)

New: Community Choices Fund announced for 2017/18

The Scottish Government has announced the £1.5 million fund will be open for applications until 21st July 2017.

First launched in 2016/17, the Community Choices Fund has supported participatory budgeting (PB) in Scotland.

For 2017/18, £1.5 million of the Community Choices Fund is available in two categories of £750,000 each:

  • Category one for Public Authorities which includes Local Authorities and other Public Bodies.
  • Category two for Community Organisations and Community Councils.

The fund aims to support PB activity which will significantly expand opportunities for more local people to make decisions on local spending priorities and contribute to local participatory democracy.

Targeted particularly at work in deprived areas, the fund aims to build on the support provided by the Scottish Government for PB since 2014 as part of a broader agenda around democratic innovation and engaged citizenship.

The closing date for applications is midnight 21 July 2017.

More information: https://pbscotland.scot/blog/2017/6/9/community-choices-fund-announced-for-201718

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Leith Walk works: informal drop-in event on Wednesday 14th June

(adapted from an email from Michael Motion, Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend)

Further to the events of last week, in regards to the administration of the previous Leith Programme Phase 4 Contractor, and the re-commencement of works on Monday 5th June, we intend to hold an informal drop-in event on Wednesday 14th June, commencing from 5pm – 7pm to provide any further information we can regarding the current contractor situation, the progress on site and to answer any general queries with regards to the Leith Programme Phase 4 project.

This will be held within the Learning Centre room at the McDonald Road Library.

We hope to see you there.

Kind regards

Michael Motion
Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend