For hundreds of years, some of Edinburgh’s most colourful characters have passed through the doors of the Abbey Strand buildings
This workshop will help you take the first steps in conducting your own family research using the International Tracing Service digital archive
There seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area
There seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area
It is acknowledged that serviced holiday apartments, as proposed, may cause a more limited impact on surrounding homes and offices than holiday properties with no on-site management.
However, in the context of ever expanding provision for the needs and requirements of transient populations in the Old Town, including tourists. The Cockburn is increasingly concerned that there seems to be a lack of any over-arching vision, strategy or action plan to balance the requirements of all local businesses and all local residents in the Old Town area.
The continuing expansion of holiday-related accommodation in the Old Town has considerable potential to negatively impact on the lives and quality of life of long-term residents as it has already done in many European capitals, some of whom are now actively engaging in destination management to re-balance the needs and expectations of their residents and other stakeholders.
The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings
The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings
Overall the Cockburn is very supportive of this high-profile redevelopment within the World Heritage Site and Old Town Conservation Area. Three listed buildings are directly impacted, and significant changes are proposed to the public realm.
The Cockburn supports the need to reconfigure the internal spaces within the ECA’s buildings to suit contemporary usage, the needs and expectations of academic staff and current students and to facilitate barrier free access, as far as possible, within and around the buildings of the campus. We do not consider that impacts on the built heritage associated with this development are either significant or negative.
However, the landscaping proposals are disappointing. Overall, we considered that there is too much hard landscaping and that an insufficient attempt has been made to adapt the refreshed and new landscaped areas to the challenges of a changing local climate.
An attempt could also have been made to link several pockets of private/ public greenspace which exist around the ECA to promote urban biodiversity and climate adaptation goals.
The reduction of car parking facilities across the site is welcomed. But again this could have gone further with softer, greener landscaping proposals rather than the areas of hard landscape which are currently proposed.
A clear community benefit should be identified over and above any improvement to telecoms functionality
A clear community benefit should be identified over and above any improvement to telecoms functionality
The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage
The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage
The proposed new entrance is a positive improvement to the street frontage and a more suitable and accessible entrance for this prominent hotel. The proposals will retain some ground level activity along Princes Street.
The proposed restaurant and proposed improvements to the meuse lane are also positive.
The approved roof extension will rationalise the rather negative, unattractive and jumbled aesthetic of the current roofscape.
However, more information on access and servicing would have been welcome.
The need to clarify if, when and how such installations can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent
The need to clarify if, when and how such installations can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent
Proposals for prominent telecommunications installations in conservation areas continue to come forward and generally result in significant local concern regarding their siting and their potential negative impact on the character and amenity of individual conservation areas.
Local planning authorities are under a duty to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas . Policies need to be developed which clearly identify what it is about the character or appearance of the area which should be preserved or enhanced and the means of achieving that objective.
Given the frequency with which telecommunications installations are proliferating across the city. The need to clarify if, when and how such installations can be sited within a conservation areas is urgent.
It is our view that such proposals should not add to street clutter on busy pedestrian thoroughfares or in vicinity of busy road junctions. Applications in conservation areas should certainly be refused if it is determined that the benefits of the proposed installation are deemed not to outweigh the harm caused to the unique character of the conservation area and if there is insufficient evidence that alternative sites or mast sharing opportunities have been adequately explored.
We understand the essential requirement for modern telecommunications infrastructure in our city and its importance to residents, visitors and businesses. However, we believe that, in consultation with local stakeholders, any proposed telecommunications installation in a conservation area should be located in an inconspicuous location, dis-aggregated into smaller, less conspicuous arrays or co-located on an existing installation if this is achievable.
Events are free and take place in Acheson House Garden or Edinburgh Museum Lecture Room (on the Royal Mile) with walks starting from the garden
Events are free and take place in Acheson House Garden or Edinburgh Museum Lecture Room (on the Royal Mile) with walks starting from the garden
