Makars’ Court gazebo

Posted on: April 27, 2024

We understand that Makars’ Court is a Common Good asset

Cockburn Response

We object to this application which, in our view, represents the commercialisation of an important area of public space which provides heritage interest, amenity and access in the heart of the Old Town. We cannot support this proposed change of use.

The City of Edinburgh Museums Service describes Makars’ Court as ‘an evolving national monument’ with ‘famous words of great Scottish authors inscribed in the flagstones’. This application does not support the court’s continuing development as al literary heritage asset.

We understand that Makars’ Court is a Common Good asset. Under Part 8 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, Local Authorities as required to carry out a consultation exercise when seeking to change the use, or sell, any properties forming part of the Common Good. This application includes an area of commercial space and represents a change of use, in our view, and, as such, representation should have been sought on this proposal through an appropriate consultation. exercise in the terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 .

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DISCUSSION PAPER ON TENEMENT LAW: COMPULSORY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATIONS

POSTED ON April 25, 2024

A lack of maintenance has left many tenements in a state of disrepair

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Blossoming Together: Community Climate Action in Edinburgh

POSTED ON

Edinburgh is a city that thrives on community spirit

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Climate, environment and cultural change in medieval/early modern Scotland

Fri, 31 May 2024 17:00 - Sun, 2 Jun 2024

Two ‘little’ ice ages and an anomaly: climate, environment and cultural change in medieval and early modern Scotland

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Proposed Student Accommodation Dunedin Street (Revised)

Posted on: April 19, 2024

An opportunity to engage residents in the preparation of a Local Place Plan

Cockburn Response

We acknowledge that this revised application seeks to address issues of concern raised in relation to the original, similar application on this site including overdevelopment, lack of sympathy with local built character, lack of internal/external amenity space, lack of private/public greenspace, poor integration of waste and recycling facilities.

However, our comments in relation to the original application remain relevant.

This part of Edinburgh is in danger of being redeveloped through ad hoc market driven development.

There is an ideal opportunity here to engage residents in the preparation of a Local Place Plan to enable the local community to submit ideas and proposals for their own local area. Introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, Local Place Plans are a way for communities to think about how to make their place better, to agree priorities, and to take action to make change happen.

In preparing their own community-led Local Place Plan, the local community in this part of Edinburgh could express its aspirations and priorities for the future through the submission of ideas and proposals for the development or use of land and buildings.

Once registered, the Local Place Plan could then be taken into account by The City of Edinburgh Council a material consideration when planning applications are being considered.

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Mecca Bingo Hall Manderston Street

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A new Edinburgh-wide student needs assessment is now urgently required

Cockburn Response

The Cockburn Association supports this application.

We acknowledge that this is a constrained site with development challenges. Bearing this in mind, PBSA redevelopment is an acceptable use of the site which will secure much of the remaining external heritage interest.

This former mill has been extensively modified over its history and most of its heritage features have been lost. However, we would ask that an effort be made to salvage any remaining art deco features of interest either for reuse on site or for incorporation into other projects elsewhere.

We are generally supportive of PBSA developments which feature cluster flats in their design since these offer a better student living environment and are more likely to offer future opportunities for conversion to mainstream housing should market demand for student housing diminish.

We are aware of local concerns regarding this and nearby student accommodation developments in the context of the city’s ongoing housing emergency. It is now essential that the City of Edinburgh Council commissions an independent data-driven student needs assessment for Edinburgh to inform the Council’s current and future planning position on student housing needs in the City.

It is clear that Edinburgh has a significant and varied housing need with many permanent and transitory residents facing real challenges in their search for suitable and affordable accommodation. A growing student population runs the risk of exasperating an already difficult balance of housing needs and supply.

A new Edinburgh-wide student needs assessment is now urgently required to provide a robust evidence base from which consideration can be given to how to manage student accommodation now and in the future, including reviewing the threshold for the numbers of university students living outside of managed accommodation; and policies for the delivery of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).

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