Forget about Brexit. This is important.

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What is more important than Brexit? Tenements!

Arguably, tenements are the most successful form of urban living around the world. Our area* – the most densely populated in Scotland (census 2011) – is more or less defined by strong lines of tenements along our residential and shopping streets. Where these tenements are arranged around a “back green” they also provide much needed breathing space in a busy city. A lot of tenements in our area are more than 100 years old. Most residents in our area live in a tenement.

For a variety of reasons (latterly, including AirBnB), it is sometimes difficult to manage a tenement and even more problematic to maintain them collectively. This has also been recognised elsewhere as an issue and since March 2018, a Scottish Parliamentary Working Group has been meeting with the purpose of establishing solutions to aid, assist and, where necessary, to compel owners of tenement properties to maintain their buildings.

Leith Central Community Council (LCCC) is pleased to have Euan Leitch, Director of Built Environment Forum Scotland, at our monthly public meeting on 18 November at McDonald Road Library to provide an update on the final recommendations of the working group and upcoming (legislative) developments. His talk is titled Tenements: strengthening the repair & maintenance culture through legislation and will be followed by a Q&A.

* roughly between Easter Rd, London Road, Leith Walk, McDonald Rd, Ferry Road and the Foot of Leith Walk

18 November 2019 7pm McDonald Road Library – all welcome

Housing 2040: Scot Gov exhibition / consultation

The Scottish Government & Architecture Design Scotland are coming to Edinburgh on  11th and 12th December. They say

Home is more than simply shelter. It is not just the place where we live, but has a huge influence on how we live. It can shape our health and wellbeing, as well as our work and prosperity. It also impacts on the quality of our environment and the strength of our communities. Housing touches every part of life in Scotland, from childhood to old age.

We’re here to explore the future, working to understand what our homes and communities should look and feel like in 2040. The exhibition looks at themes around living and housing, offering the opportunity for discovery and discussion – gathering and sharing views about our housing needs and aspirations.

By listening to voices from across the country and across generations, we’re building a picture of a housing system that can evolve and adapt to the challenges that tomorrow brings, from an ageing population to the climate emergency.

The Scottish Government has begun to consider how our homes and communities should look and feel in 2040 and the options and choices to achieve this.

The travelling exhibition is curated and designed by Edinburgh University’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA), award-winning Scottish practice Collective Architecture and Peak15 Design, together with Chris Leslie and Sandy Halliday. Accompanying the exhibition are facilitated workshop sessions, designed to hear from a range of voices.

The views collected through the consultation and the travelling exhibition will help to inform the Scottish Government’s final vision and route map for housing over the next 20 years, which it is aiming to publish in spring 2020.

The exhibition and consultation will be at Castlebrae Community High School from 6pm – 8pm.

Community safety night team

(Adapted from an email from CSNT)

CSNT commenced 1st October 2016 as an outcome following the transformation programme.

  • Operation Times: Thursday through to Sunday 17.00 until 02.30
  • Contact Details:
  • Team leaders
    • Craig.Ferguson@edinburgh.gov.uk
    • William.Muir@edinburgh.gov.uk

Click the graphic to see more information:

Constitution Street tram-construction start

(adapted from an email from the Trams to Newhaven project. Constitution St is not in LCCC’s area, but LCCC residents and businesses may wish to know the following.)

The Tram to Newhaven project team is hosting a drop-in event on Thursday 7 November from 12pm – 7.30pm at South Leith Parish Church where residents and businesses can come and meet the team who can answer any queries they might have about the planned works.

The first phase of work to take trams to Newhaven will start on Constitution Street on 18 November 2019. Continue reading →

Consultation on Phase 1 of the roll-out of Controlled Parking Zones into LCCC areas

Edinburgh Council is consulting on parking in LCCC’s area. The consultation is at https://pclconsult.co.uk/edinburghcpz.

LCCC encourages local residents and businesses to check their ‘local patches’, then respond to the consultation. It closes on Sunday 10th November 2019.