West End Community Council Edinburgh

www.edinburghwestendcc.org.uk

Chair: Gordon Wyllie 8, Grosvenor Crescent EH12 5EP Tel : 0131 226 5541 gwyllie@biggartbaillie.co.uk

Secretary : Mike Lamont 15 West Catherine Place EH12 5HZ Tel: 07733 110350 wecc@cambusdoon.plus.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Thirty first Meeting of the 11th Council, Monday 2 April 2012, 7. 30pm, Ashfield, 61 Melville Street, Edinburgh

Present Dr Gordon M Wyllie (in the Chair), Dr Mike Lamont (Secretary), Dr Leonora McAndrew, Councillor Joanna Mowat, Ian Robertson and Mrs Isabel Thom Also Present PC Bruce Burt, Flora Campbell (Magdala Crescent Gardens Association), Jim Cooney, Dr John Herbert, Gordon Renton and Sam Scott. 1. Apologies Sarah Boyack MSP, City Councillors Charles Dundas, and Alasdair Rankin, Prof Norman Bonney, Jock Miller, Rory ORiordan and Ian Robertson. 2. Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 5 March 2012 These were approved. 3. Matters arising There were none. 4. Police Report Fifteen instant penalty notices had been issued for antisocial behaviour during the preceding month. There had been several thefts reported including money stolen from a backpackers hostel, a 1,500 bicycle from Canning Street and other thefts from a hotel and premises in Palmerston Place. There have been instances of vandalism such as damage to car wing mirrors, a window being broken with a recycling box and damage to a hoarding in Morrison Street.

There were a number of arrests during the month. Two males (19 and 24) were arrested for suspected theft on 21 March. Two other males were arrested in connection with unconnected drugs offences in Morrison Street and Queensferry Street. On 8 March a woman (20) was arrested following two assaults in Queensferry Street Lane. PC Burt also advised that on 26 March the police received a report that a video recording device had been taped to the side of a bank cash machine in West Maitland Street. The Secretary drew attention to an email he had received just before the meeting. In it, David Meek had drawn attention to several problems associated with the temporary diversions caused by the tram works. The main complaint was that vehicles were travelling too fast along side streets. Sam Scott, a resident of Chester Street, told the meeting of his irritation at the tone of a warning notice placed on his car by a traffic warden. His car had been legally parked while he was away from Edinburgh for a few days. During his absence a new pedestrian crossing had been constructed and his car moved by City of Edinburgh officials because it was allegedly now causing an obstruction. Mr Scott explained that he understood why his car had been moved but had been greatly offended by the threatening nature of the warning notice. The meeting agreed that the City Council should try to take a more conciliatory approach in its dealings with citizens so badly affected by the current tram works. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Chief Executive pointing out the insensitivity of these warning notices. Others present raised a number of issues relating to traffic diversions. Dr Wyllie expressed sympathy but was afraid that the City Council and officials responsible for the tram works were so overwhelmed that they might not be able to give much consideration to what the residents of the West End felt, or able to influence events. Councillor Mowat undertook to find answers or solutions to the issues mentioned. 5. Councillors Report Councillor Mowat reminded the meeting that City Council elections were due in May. She has been working on a number of problems thrown up by the tram works. She saw a glimmer of hope for businesses affected by the tram works. She was pleased to report that the Assessor had agreed to survey businesses to find out if they had been affected by material changes. This might lead to a reduction in costs for some businesses. She was also trying to get some relief for private residents. Decreases in Council Tax were unlikely but she hoped it might be possible to negotiate reductions in residents parking charges. Councillor Mowat was also pressing for the tram works to be brought to an end quicker than the 15 months currently forecast. Flora Campbell asked if any thought had been given to how traffic was going to be routed in the West End once the trams were running. Councillor Mowat voiced her concerns that the Councils current view was that they would have to take stock at the time and not try to anticipate the situation. Several present raised other queries about a variety of local problems caused by the tram works which Councillor Mowat undertook to clarify.

This being Councillor Mowats last attendance at the West End Community Council, Dr Wyllie thanked her for her regular attendance at our meetings and praised her robustly elegant articulation of the issues affecting her constituents. 6. Correspondence received The Secretary reminded the meeting of an email he had sent earlier confirming that the Community Council elections had been put back to 2013. 7. Reports from Conveners Finance Dr McAndrew advised that current funds amounted to 2,002.49. Planning Consultations: Planning Democracy Seminar 21.04.2012: Mrs Thom will attend. Mrs Thom commented that we had not heard the outcome of the Heriot Watt Students study of the Southern Arc ADF (see the minutes of the last meeting, 5 March 2012) Network Rail Community Drop-in: Hilton Grosvenor Hotel between 4 and 8pm on Monday, 23 April and Monday, 30 April.see: www.egip-consultation.co.uk tel: 0808 280 2000 59, 60 Belford Road: Mrs Thom had held and informal discussion held with the developers architect and planning consultants. (Michael Laird Architects and GVA) Applications: Local (Representation submitted): 7-8 Clifton Terrace 11/03792/FUL (SCHEME: Scheme 2): Development Management Sub-Committee meeting: On the 23 March 2012, the City of Edinburgh Council was Minded to Grant consent subject to the conclusion of a legal agreement. Minor (Representation submitted): Devon Place Ref. 11/03421/FUL: amended scheme an improvement; supported Donaldson Area Amenity Associations representations. Minor or fast-track delegated: 2 Borthwick Place Ref. 12/00451/FUL - new rear porch; opening in wall for access (Note: access would be to a private road, the Conservation Area boundary - supported DAAA in objection - wall proposal has now been dropped) 17 Melville Street Lane Ref. 12/00457/FUL - new build office space and 2 apartments 38 Melville Street Ref. 12/00553/LBC - alts. to lower ground floor 19 Atholl Crescent Ref. 12/00517/FUL - CoU commercial to 4 flats 24 Alva Street Ref. 12/00572/LBC - int. alts.; accessible wetroom; utility 2F 40 Palmerston Place Ref. 12/00580/LBC - replace 2 cast iron skylights; int. alts. 10 Alva Street Ref. 12/00581/FUL - CoU offices to townhouse 21A Douglas Crescent Ref. 12/00622/FUL/LBC - new rear doors & windows; int.alts.

9 Queensferry Street Lane Ref.12/00637/FUL - CoU residential to HMO BF 17 Walker Street Ref. 12/00502/FUL - increase number of children from 25 to 30 2F 43 Queensferry Street Lane Ref.12/00554/FUL - CoU flat to office GF 10 Alva Street Ref. 12/00582/LBC - CoU offices to full town house 32 Manor Place (Old Coates House) Ref. 12/00689/FUL/LBC - convert 1st & 2nd floors to residential 3-4 Queensferry Street Ref. 12/00652/LBC/FUL - alts. to upper storeys to form 4 star hotel 4 Lothian Road (Caledonian Hotel) Ref. 12/00740/ADV - new signage 38 Melville Street Ref. 12/00751/LBC - int. alts. to form new steps in basement GF 15 Eglinton Crescent Ref. 12/00766/LBC - remove front door & glazed panels replace with solid door; grille at basement level 1F1 6 Drumsheugh Place Ref. 12/00805/LBC - new shower room; change position of entrance door 1F 21 Melville Street Ref. 12/00879/LBC - flag pole for SCIS 6 Shandwick Place Ref. 12/00891/FUL/LBC - CoU shop to business; int. alts.; shutters

Decisions: 2 Canning Street Ref. 12/00190/LBC - granted (replace windows to internal opening casements) 26-28 Shandwick Place Ref. 12/00370/ADV - granted (new pub signs) 189 Morrison Street (Tiger Haymarket 1) Ref. 12/00353/OBL - granted (discharge Section 75 Agreement) 12 Melville Place Ref. 12/00163/FUL - granted (CoU retail to coffee shop; toilets etc.) 32 Morrison Street Ref. 12/00270/LBC - granted (rear emergency exit; int.alts.) 15 Drumsheugh Gardens (Meldrum House) Ref. 12/00179/FUL - granted (O2 cabinet) Appeal: 3F 47 Manor Place DPEA Ref. LBA-230-2002 (Ref. 11/02567/LBC/FUL) - replace cupola; form mezzanine; fit solar panels. Mrs Thom attended the Reporters site visit on 09.03.2012

Communication and Publicity Nothing to report

Environment and Transport Wind farms - It was agreed that WECC would not support the petition received from David Ramsbotham on 10 March, as being outwith the Community Councils responsibility. Sewage leak into the Water of Leith in Mr ORiordans absence Mrs Thom reported that she had been advised that the sewage leak close to the bottom of the steps leading from Magdala Crescent had been traced to wrongly connected pipe work associated with 4

the student residences in Fountainbridge. Scottish Water and SEPA were working with the property owner to resolve the matter. Houses in Multiple Occupation While Dr McAndrew was aware of one proposal to modify premises in Morrison Street she felt that this raised no concerns. 8. Any Other Competent Business Gordon Renton was concerned about proposals to erect a giant wheel in Princes Street Gardens. The wheel was ostensibly planned partly as an attraction to ameliorate some of the losses the tram works had caused local businesses but he was worried it might lose money and require support by the City Council money which could go directly to stricken businesses. Councillor Mowat explained that this was not the case and that the City Council had no liability for any losses the wheel might incur. 9. Next Meetings The next meeting is on Tuesday 8 May 2012 Other meetings planned are as follows:5 June 2012 (Tuesday) 3 September 2012 3 December 2012 This was all the business. 2 July 2012 1 October 2012 6 August 2012 5 November 2012