Edinburgh City Plan 2030

City of Edinburgh Council have published its proposals for local development, the City Plan 2030. This proposal is open to consultation and the public is being encouraged to comment on it. These comments will be considered before the Plan is finalised.

The deadline for comments is 5pm on Monday 20th December 2021. 

You can download and comment on the plan here.  We suggest you at least read Part 1, the introduction, and Part 2, the strategy. If you want to read more about the policies behind the whole document, they can be found in Part 3.

The future of Astley Ainslie site as a community resource clearly depends on the Council as well as the NHS. The Executive Committee of AACT strongly believe that the more local people respond to the consultation on the proposed City Plan 2030 the better the prospects are for an outcome which suits the community, supports public health, protects and enhances the greenspace, safeguards the trees and contributes to achieving Scotland’s Net Zero emissions targets while limiting new building development to an appropriate footprint.

We would urge our members to engage with this process and to comment on the overall Plan and more specifically where reference is made to the Astley Ainslie site.

Response Guidance

In order to help guide you through what is a lengthy document we have highlighted a number of key issues and provided page numbers pertaining to references to the Astley Ainslie.

In general we are supportive of the development principles outlined in the Plan although a lot will depend on the detail of the Place Brief.  In the meantime, however we do have some comments and concerns about some of the detail laid out in the Plan specific to Astley Ainslie on page 45, namely:

a) We feel the priorities should be greenspace (retaining the open space is critically important), community infrastructure and then housing which is carbon neutral and ideally is only on the existing footprint of current or previous buildings on the site.

b) Ideally any new development will only be permitted on the existing footprint of current buildings or recently demolished ones.  Any new build take account of the existing trees which must be protected.  The existing Tree Preservation Orders for the site must be upheld. 

c) The proposed 500 units could be considered excessive in a conservation area. All buildings should be carbon neutral.

d) A full archaeological survey should be undertaken before any development is authorised to determine the location of the 16th/17th century chapel of St Roque and associated burial sites for plaque victims.

e) No comments

f) We are very supportive of daylighting the Jordan Burn though the suggested separation of 15m from any new development is not enough.

g) No comments

h) This does not go far enough and should state that existing Rights of Way across the whole site must be preserved.

I) Given the size of the site, the requirements to "Provide or contribute towards education, and healthcare infrastructure and community facilities" could be strengthened to require direct provision on-site. At the very least, consultations regarding education and health provision must be undertaken prior to development of the site. We believe these provisions can still be provided whilst retaining and enhancing the site greenspace.

Additionally, when commenting on the Plan,  we would encourage you to add the following requirements:

  • The views from Blackford Hill of the site and its existing tree canopy should be preserved.

  • Public access to all parts of the site should be maintained

  • The many rare, mature and high quality trees on the site should be protected and respected.

  • Given the size of the site, the biodiversity which exists and the lack of any previous study, a Protected Species Assessment should be undertaken but other flora and fauna should also be protected

Further references are made to the Astley Ainslie on the following pages:

  • Page 150 Table 1 BGN23 pertaining to the mature landscape, greenspace, open space and the many high quality trees

  • Page 157 Table 2 H8 pertaining to housing  and a proposal for 500 units

  • Page 167-8 Table 4 pertaining to active travel ATPR7, APTR8, APTR9 and APTR10

  • Page 183 Table 12 (South East Locality) pertaining to healthcare infrastructure

The Council’s public representation on the Plan opens through the link here, where you will need to provide certain personal details.  You will then be able to comment on the different parts of the proposed plan in turn.  It may be most appropriate to make any general comments about the principles which are important to you personally under Part 2, and reserve particular comments on the Astley Ainslie for the later sections. You do not have to respond to all questions on the online consultation form.

The consultation deadline is 5pm on Monday 20th December 2021. 

Please remember to comment before this.  Please also encourage your friends and neighbours to make their own representations.

Many thanks.

Stuart, Maggie, Mike, Tim, Bill and Sara

The AACT Executive Committee