Author Archives: Jack Caldwell

Your views on Leith’s Short Term Lets

Given how heavily tenemented the Leith Central area is, Short Term Lets (or “Holiday Flats”) can have a knock-on effect on local residents.

There are two consultations we advise people in the area to respond to:

Edinburgh Council have a consultation on-going about a ‘Short Term Let Control Area‘ until November 5th.

Holyrood’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee also want your views on plans to regulate short-term lets until October 29th.

If approved, the new laws would see the introduction of a licensing scheme for short-term lets. The Scottish Government suggests that the new laws would:

  • make sure short-term lets are safe,
  • help with issues faced by neighbours from short-terms lets, and
  • help councils know and understand what is happening in their areas about the provision of short-term lets.

Ahead of the new laws being introduced later this year, the Committee wants to hear from people across Scotland about whether the proposed laws will achieve what they set out to do. 

Plans to regulate short-term lets in Scotland are expected to be considered in November and December.

The Committee would like to hear what you think about the suggested changes before it considers them and is doing a survey so you can give us your views. You can access the survey by following the link below:

yourviews.parliament.scot/spice/licensing-of-short-term-lets

Please could you send your responses to the survey by 29 October 2021.   

Responses which are sent after this may not be looked at by the Committee. 

The new regulations being brought in by the Scottish Government are due to be introduced to Parliament in November.

Leith Community Policing Update: September 2021

The Leith Community Policing team produced the following newsletter upon request, detailing some of what the dedicated Community Policing team have been doing this month.

Police Scotland’s North East Edinburgh Locality team can be contacted at scotland.police.uk.

More Covid community testing at McDonald Road Library this week

On top of the permenant test centre (for people with symptoms) at Leith Library, as well as the drop-in vaccine clinics at St James Quarter, the EICC and Leith Community Health Centre (details), authorities have set up another testing hub at McDonald Road Library. Here is the latest alert from them with all the details;

Regular testing for people with no COVID-19 symptoms is one of the ways we can all help keep people safe and stop the spread new variants in Edinburgh. Infection rates are high across Edinburgh, so we’re urging people to keep testing, even if they’ve been vaccinated.  People with no COVID-19 symptoms can come along for a test at:

  • Wester Hailes Library from Monday 23 August to Saturday 11 September (closed Sundays)
  • McDonald Road Library from Monday 9 August to Saturday 28 August (closed Sundays)
  • Blackhall Library, Monday 30 August to Saturday 11 September (closed Sundays)
  • Blackhall Mosque,1 House O’Hill Road, EH4 2AJ from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 August 9.30am to 4pm. 
  • Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, EH2 2LR from Saturday 21 August to Saturday 28 August (closed Sunday) 9.30am to 5pm
  • Tumbles/Power League car park, 20 Westbank Street, Portobello EH15 1DR from Friday 20 August to Sunday 29 August 9.30am to 5pm
  • Craigmillar Medical Practice, 106 Niddrie Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH16 4DT, from Monday 23 August to Saturday 28 August, 10.00am to 5.30pm and Sunday 29 August, 9.30am to 5pm
  • South East locality office, 40 Captain’s Road, Edinburgh, EH17 8QF, from Monday 23 August to Saturday 29 August, 10am to 5.30pm and Sunday 29 August, 9.30am to 5pm

We’re open from 9am to 6pm unless stated above and there’s no need to book. You can also pick up home testing kits from our centres at libraries. Testing is free, fast and safe. It will only take around 15 minutes to take the test and 45 minutes for people to be sent their results.  If you can’t get to the library, you can order free rapid lateral flow test kits onlineor by phoning the National Testing Centre on 119.   Almost 1 in 3 people infected with Covid-19 don’t have any of the usual symptoms but are potentially passing on the virus unknowingly to family, friends and others in the community. By getting tested people can find out if they are positive and self-isolate at home to stop spreading the virus to others. People who have been vaccinated are also encouraged to take a test as they may still carry the virus. 

You can find out more about community testing on our web pages at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/communitytesting

Edinburgh’s new Low Emission Zone: Public Consultation now open

Transport Scotland have a consultation running on Edinburgh Council’s proposed Low Emission Zone (LEZ). The current proposed boundaries begin at Leith Street / Picardy Place / Greenside and extends south to The Meadows. Although none of Leith Central Community Council’s area are directly in the zone, there will likely be an impact.

Flyer from ‘Low Emission Zones Scotland’ – Edinburgh’s proposed LEZ would begin in June 2024.

Leith Central Community Council are currently listening to residents in the area and may respond accordingly before the close date in Septmeber 2021.

The proposed plans for Edinburgh could see the city introduce an LEZ in spring 2022, with enforcement expected to begin in June 2024.

As you may be aware, Edinburgh is one of four cities in Scotland where LEZ plans are being progressed. They include Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow.

Aimed at improving air quality and protecting public health, Scotland’s LEZ plans set emission standards on certain road spaces and restrict access for the most polluting vehicles. They also support the country’s wider climate change ambitions by encouraging people to think about active travel and using more sustainable transport options.

While Scotland’s air quality is generally good, road transport is a key contributor to the number of polluted hotspots that remain which is why progressing the country’s LEZs continues to be a top priority to help reduce the major impact that air pollution has on people’s health.

Further details about Edinburgh’s LEZ plans and how people can comment are available via the Edinburgh City Council links below:

Edinburgh LEZ plans – Edinburgh’s Low Emission Zone – Edinburgh City Council.

Public consultation – Edinburgh Low Emission Zone Consultation.

Community Covid-19 testing this week at McDonald Road Library

McDonald Road Library will host another community testing hub for people without Covid19 symptoms from Monday 9th to Saturday 21st August (exlucding Sundays) from 9am – 6pm.

Leith Central Community Council recieved the following email from The City of Edinburgh Council with the full list of Community Testing Hubs:

Regular testing for people with no COVID-19 symptoms is one of the ways we can all help keep people safe and stop the spread new variants in Edinburgh. Infection rates are high across Edinburgh, so we’re urging people to keep testing, even if they’ve been vaccinated.

People with no COVID-19 symptoms can come along for a test at:

  • Gilmerton Library, from Monday 2 August to Saturday 14 August (closed 8 August)
  • Fountainbridge Library from Monday 9 August to Saturday 21 (closed Sunday 15 August)
  • McDonald Road Library from Monday 9 August to Saturday 21 August (closed Sunday 15 August)
  • James Pringle Shopping Village, 70- 74 Bangor Road, EH6 5JU from Friday 16 July to Sunday 15 August,10am to 5pm
  • Craigmillar Medical Centre (car park) 106 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DT from Monday 2 August to Sunday 15 August, 9.30am to 5.30pm (5pm on Sunday)
  • Blackhall Mosque, 1 House O’Hill Road, EH4 2AJ from Monday 9 August to Thursday 12 August and Saturday 14 August from 9.30am to 5.30pm, Sunday 15 August 9.30am to 5pm
  • Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way, EH14 3JF from Monday 9 August to Sunday 15 August, 9.30am to 5.30pm (5pm on Sunday)

We’re open from 9am to 6pm unless stated above and there’s no need to book. You can also pick up home testing kits from our centres at libraries. Testing is free, fast and safe. It will only take around 15 minutes to take the test and 45 minutes for people to be sent their results.

If you can’t get to the library, you can order free rapid lateral flow test kits online or by phoning the National Testing Centre on 119

Almost 1 in 3 people infected with Covid-19 don’t have any of the usual symptoms but are potentially passing on the virus unknowingly to family, friends and others in the community. By getting tested people can find out if they are positive and self-isolate at home to stop spreading the virus to others. People who have been vaccinated are also encouraged to take a test as they may still carry the virus.

You can find out more about community testing on our web pages at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/communitytesting