Author Archives: Jack Caldwell

Register for our virtual AGM next Monday

Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Monday 16th November at 7pm on Zoom. It is open to all residents in the local area. It is an opportunity to hear about the LCCC activities over the last year, and to look forward to 2020/2021.

More details and registration on eventbrite.co.uk.

The meeting will include;

  • Annual Report: brief review of year
  • Treasurer’s report
  • Demit of current office bearers and election of new office bearers
lccc-2020-accounts

AGM Agenda

  1. Welcome and recording of LCCC membership present and apologies received
  2. to agree: Minutes of the previous annual general meeting of LCCC
  3. to note: the Annual Report
  4. to agree: Treasurer’s submission of Balance Sheet and Annual Accounts duly independently examined and certified correct (p4ff of Annual Report)
  5. This item will be chaired by Bruce Ryan:
    Demit of current office bearers and election of office bearers
  6. This and subsequent items will be chaired by the newly elected LCCC chair:
    Confirmation of LCCC committees and working groups, their convenors and members 
  7. to agree: Dates, times and venue of future ordinary meetings
  8. to note: Date of next annual general meeting: 17 May 2021.

Meeting papers (from October 2014 onwards) are on LCCC’s website on the meetings page: https://leithcentralcc.co.uk/reports.

We are objecting to the Montgomery Street Park mast

After listening to residents and objectively looking at the proposals, our Planning working group have lodged an objection to the City of Edinburgh Council over the proposals for a mobile phone mast next to Montgomery Street Park.

20/04148/PA: Objection from Leith Central Community Council

Prior notification for electronic communication code operators. | Telecommunications
Mast North East Of Montgomery Street Park Montgomery Street Edinburgh
Leith Central Community Council objects to the application and, in accordance with the
particulars listed below, the City of Edinburgh Council should refuse the application.

Reasons

The application is contrary to the Edinburgh Local Development Plan Policy RS 7 Telecommunications

● It would not have been demonstrated that all practicable options and alternative sites
have been considered, including the possibility of using existing masts, structures and buildings and/or site sharing.
● Such evidence, including any reasons for rejection, would not have accompanied the application.
● The visual impact of the proposed 20m mast would not have been minimised through
careful siting, design and, where appropriate, landscaping.
● The application would not have demonstrated that all practicable options to minimise
impact have been explored, and the best solution identified.
● The proposal would be considerably taller than all nearby buildings and would
overwhelm the adjacent listed church at 121 Montgomery Street, Calton Centre,
Formerly Kirk Memorial Evangelical Union Church.
● The proposal would harm the natural heritage of Montgomery Street Park as it would be 5m taller than the park’s mature tree canopy..
● The application would not have provided a detailed assessment of the impact of
telecommunication waves on the health of the adjacent mature trees.
● The proposal would harm the built heritage of the city by being located on the New Town Conservation Area boundary.
● The proposal would comprise a large cluster of apparatus at its top which would add to the visual impact it would have on the New Town Conservation Area.
● The City of Edinburgh Council’s Mast Register would not have been used to check for a suitable site (“it was felt that the industry database was a more up-to-date source of
information – Planning justification statement – p1).
● A valid operational justification would not have been provided.
● An assessment of the cumulative impact of individual proposals where other
telecommunications developments are present nearby or are proposed to be located
nearby would not have been provided. Such an assessment would describe how the
cumulative effects have been considered and any negative visual impact minimised.
● The application would not have demonstrated that the site is wide enough to
accommodate the proposed equipment without impacting upon pedestrians traffic
provision.

The application is contrary to the Edinburgh Local Development Plan Policy Env 6 Conservation Areas

● The proposal would not have demonstrated that it does not adversely affect the setting
of the New Town Conservation Area.
● The application would not have provided a sufficiently detailed form for the effect of the
development proposal on the character and appearance of the area to be assessed.
● The application is not including visuals or photomontages to demonstrate the minimal
impact of the proposal.

The application is contrary to the Edinburgh Local Development Plan Policy Env 16 Species Protection

● The application, by its very nature may have a detrimental effect on European Protected
Species (EPS) covered by Habitats Regulations. Bats are often sighted in Edinburgh
parks and a full bat survey of the current status of the species and its use of the site has
not been provided.
The application is contrary to Section 59 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997
● The proposal would not have demonstrated that a special regard has been given to the
desirability of preserving listed buildings or their setting or any features of special
architectural interest which they possess.
● The proposal would not have been advertised as affecting the setting of a Listed Building
(121 Montgomery Street, Calton Centre, formerly Kirk Memorial Evangelical Union
Church)

The application is contrary to Planning Advice Note: PAN 62 Radio Telecommunications

● The application would ignore the opportunities that exist in urban areas to use small
scale equipment, to disguise and conceal equipment and sensitively install equipment on buildings and other structures.
● The application would be in a visually sensitive location within an urban area where it is particularly necessary to take positive steps to disguise or conceal equipment. Such
locations include conservation areas, scheduled ancient monuments and their settings,
listed buildings and their settings and recreational areas, eg public open spaces.

The application is contrary to National Planning Policy Guideline NPPG 19: RADIO TELECOMMUNICATIONS

● The proposal would not have demonstrated that the operators have explored alternative siting and design. Information about these enquiries should accompany every planning application. Operators should thoroughly explore alternative sites to find the solution with the least landscape impact, which may help allay public concern. Where difficulties in site acquisition arise code system operators have powers of compulsory acquisition. Although due to the time involved in compulsory acquisition operators will generally seek another site.

The pre-application consultation process has not been completed

● The application is not providing evidence or data from the public consultation.
● The pre-application consultation with the Council, with regards to the siting of masts
would not have been completed. The Planning justification statement notes that the
applicant has not received a reply from the Council before proceeding to a formal
application.

For all the reasons listed above, Leith Central Community Council objects to the application and, in accordance with the particulars listed below, the City of Edinburgh Council should refuse the application.

Trams To Newhaven Newsletter: 23rd Oct

The ‘Trams To Newhaven’ team have sent out their fortnightly newsletter, here are some adapted excepts relating to our area;

Leith Central Community Council volunteers continue to liaise with the Trams To Newhaven team and neighbouring community councils. Please visit the “CCTT (Community Councils Together on Trams)” tag on our website to see minutes from previous meetings.

Leith Walk 
Site investigation, excavation works and surface water drainage installation is continuing from London Road to Crown Street.

Pilrg Street to Dalmeny Street 
This section of works has been handed back to Infrastructure & Systems Contractor, SFN, who will commence the main tram infrastructure works.

McDonald Road
McDonald Road / Leith Walk junction has been shut to accommodate utility diversions as part of the construction programme. These planned works were based on documents given to the project that detailed the locations of utilities in the area. Following excavations of the road we have identified the need for additional electrical utility works to take place.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times and Pilrig Street will remain open to help traffic flow in the area. Vehicle access to McDonald Road will remain via Bonnington and Broughton Road.

Trams progress so far
Trams to Newhaven have created this video that provides an update on progress so far. From Newhaven to London Road, get a birds eye view of the project. The video outlines current key areas of the project, including archaeological works, Logistic provisions and approximate locations of the future tram stops.

Murals
As part of the Support for Business package, Trams to Newhaven have commissioned a series of small murals to be painted on utility boxes on Leith Walk and Constitution Street. Working alongside Vue Arts, the project will help exhibit the work of local aspiring and established graffiti and street artists.

You can sign up for the Trams To Newhaven fortnightly newsletter on at edinburgh.gov.uk/tramstonewhaven

Leith Walk closures tomorrow from 7pm – 5am

We wanted to remind you that the Trams to Newhaven works require the running lane in Leith Walk to be closed tomorrow from 7pm to 5am and will repeat every weeknight for the coming week. Please see the below tweet;

Lothian Buses have also issued an update on their website at lothianbuses.com. Day buses will utilise Easter Road and Night Buses will use Bonnington Road.

You can keep up with the Trams to Newhaven project and sign up for their regular updates at edinburgh.gov.uk/tramstonewhaven.

McDonald Road Library (& some others) re-opening next month

McDonald Road Library is set to re-open during the day from Tuesday 13th October 2020.

Services resuming include book borrowing and internet access.

Please see the below posters from Edinburgh Council for more information. For up-to-date information, please visit yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk and talesofonecity.wordpress.com.