Save Leith Walk is a grassroots public campaign to prevent the demolition of a building, protect the heritage of the Walk, and celebrate the very essence of what Leith is. Please join us now.
It looks like there might be an appetite from the Council to prioritise social housing developments in northern end of Leith Walk. The current consultations on a Planning Brief for the Leith Walk/Halmyre Street site are a great chance to argue for more social housing.
Please pop into the next couple of consultation meetings:
Wed 15th Jan 3 -7pm at the Leith Community Centre
Wed 22nd Jan 1-5pm at Out Of The Blue Drill Hall
The Council has provided an online questionnaire that you need to fill before 31st January 2020.
We have put some notes together of important points for a planning brief if you are looking for ideas about what to say.
Rather than treating the northern end of Leith Walk as a series of large sites each with its own development plan, it would probably be helpful if the area was considered as a single development zone with one Development Brief for the area. The following are a list of points to emerge from work with the local community over the last 2 years.
- Recognition of effects of any development on the Conservation Area and surrounding Listed Buildings.
- A priority for housing that has a range of “affordable” options for rent and to buy including social and council housing. There is a large problem of homelessness and overcrowding in this area and housing to meet this social need is urgently needed
- A mixture of residential, industrial, commercial and retail options should be considered. This part of Leith Walk has always been a place where people can “work, rest and play”. This should be protected.
- There should be no dominant industry or use. Mixed uses have helped to support a vibrant and lively area and the proportion of any site dedicated to a single use should be limited
- Sensitive architectural styles should be at the heart of future design. No overly massive design should be allowed and in general, design features should complement existing styles while contributing to the existing eclectic feel.
- More green space. The Leith Walk area has the least green space per head of population in Edinburgh and the inclusion of significant green space should be part of any development brief.
- Developer contributions from new developments should be ring fenced for community agreed projects rather than used for controversial projects such as the trams which could lessen support for the new development.
- Cultural and social spaces should be considered a priority for future community development.
