Save Industry Lane Leith in Edinburgh | Community organisation

Save Industry Lane Leith

Locality: Edinburgh

Address: Industry Lane Edinburgh, SA, Australia

Website: http://www.saveindustrylane.wordpress.com

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20.01.2022 Came across a map from 1880 today and there’s Industry Lane! You can clearly see the Industry Home colonies and how the proposed development land was Baynefield House’s garden.

19.01.2022 DEADLINE 01/06/18, MIDNIGHT! We have one last ask: If you've already objected to the proposed build, please also object to this separate application for just the demolition. If this is approved (even if the build isn't) we'll still lose the buildings and it will clear the way for the inevitable next proposal to be rubber stamped. Please help us #saveindustrylane from developers! If you've still not objected to the proposed build, you can do so here: https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk//applicationDetail

13.01.2022 Not Fair, Not Just, Not Good for Democracy Attendance at the Planning Sub Committee on 29th June as a supporter of the Save Meadowbank Campaign raised serious q...uestions for me on the health and effectiveness of local government democracy. The most striking feature is just how heavily weighted the process is in favour of the powerful. The way it works is that those allocated the 5 minute objector slot are made to speak first and can then have questions fired at them by committee members. Objectors on the other hand are, quite bizarrely in my view, not allowed to ask questions of the committee members on statements they make. The unfairness of this position was very strongly highlighted when Cllr Joan Griffiths made the assertion that from talking with her constituents she believed that the "silent majority" was in favour of both the Councils planning proposals. Each of the Save Meadowbank Objectors would have dearly liked to ask her to substantiate such a contentious claim and, in particular, how she could consider it acceptable to speak with constituents favouring the council's plan while refusing to engage with those who objected to the proposals on the basis that she had a conflict of interest on account of her role as a planning committee member. This power imbalance is further exacerbated by the fact that objectors - i.e. lay people usually unfamiliar with committee machinations - are made to sit alone on a bench facing a large number of committee members and those in administration or support roles. Councillors, on the other hand, sit side by side, often engaging in conversation and sometimes laughter with each other. And council officials speaking in support of the proposals sit in teams of up to 4, including experts and what looked like spin doctors, whom they can at any point refer or defer to. How can this be viewed as other than highly favourable to the council position? The extent to which the voice of opposition is controlled and regulated was further illustrated when John, an objector who had spoken of behalf of the Campaign in both the morning and afternoon slots, politely interjected in an attempt to correct factually inaccurate and misleading information given by a speaker in favour of the council case and was debarred from doing so. Is the protocol - and attitude that informs it - so rigid that it can not allow even a smidgen of discretion, or simple common sense, to be applied? If the council is serious about engagement with its citizens and enhancing participation in the democratic process, how about allowing a few questions from the floor (public gallery) after official objectors, councillors and council officials and their entourage have had their say? It cannot be argued that time constraints would make this impossible as such an innovatory "public slot" could be limited to say 15 to 20 minutes? The decisions made by our elected councillors on a matter of huge significance at many different levels was disheartening enough at the end of a long day at City Chambers, but it was also depressing to be witness to a system that is discouraging of participation in the democratic process with its archaic, and far from citizen-friendly, protocols.

05.01.2022 After waiting more than a year, we've had official confirmation today that the application has been refused. Well done to everyone in the community who supported stopping this in its tracks.

02.01.2022 Alright folks, The time has come to ask for your help please. After all of the ‘public consultation’ meetings, the developers have not budged on their plans fo...r the complete demolition of our block on Leith Walk (Leith Walk Business Centre) for the benefit of their client Edinburgh University, who have requested a accommodation complex to be built for 500 students. We are now asking Edinburgh University to reduce these numbers and keep the existing independent businesses in the block, allowing them to continue to trade and expand. This would allow its potential as a community hub to be taken seriously and be allowed to thrive while developing the site at the rear. We genuinely believe that Edinburgh University need to be questioned about this planning application. With this in mind, we would like to ask you to spare some time to write an email to the following people at Edinburgh University to try and get Drum Property Group to amend the current planning application and essentially to not demolish these businesses and the block that so many people in our community want to save. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Thanks so much for all your support! Julie, Paddy, Pete LD