This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Draft West Edinburgh Planning Framework
29/11/2006
The draft West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 was today released for a 12-week public consultation period.
The document is an update of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2003 to take into account the Air Transport White Paper 2003, the Edinburgh Airport Master Plan 2006, consequential work on the relocation of the Royal Highland Centre, proposals for tram, rail, and road infrastructure to serve the area, and new policy on economic development, Green Belt designation, and a sustainable development framework for the Gogar Burn.
It focuses on the A8 corridor between Gogar and Newbridge, the Edinburgh Airport Master Plan proposed 2030 boundary, and the routes of the tram from the city to the Airport and of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link together with construction of a high quality transport interchange at the Airport are the building blocks around which the other proposals are set.
These proposals include:
- relocation of The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland between 2013 and 2020 to a new site allocated south of the A8 opposite their current site
- allocating land between the Airport and the A8 (together with that part of the current Royal Highland Centre not required by Edinburgh Airport) as economic development land reserved for high value corporate headquarters type development by multi-national corporations
- a new eastern access road to the Airport from the Gogar Roundabout and a western access from the A8 in the vicinity of Hallyards Road. These would allow Eastfield Road to become a predominantly bus access and to become a hotel gateway to the Airport
- rejection of a direct road link from the Airport south of the M8 on environmental, engineering and traffic grounds. This link was proposed in the Air Transport White Paper and the Edinburgh Airport Master Plan running to the M8 halfway between Claylands and Hermiston junctions
- a strong emphasis on public transport access to the Airport and to the economic development proposals. Tram, rail and bus links should result in one of the most sustainable public transport packages in Europe. To help achieve this, it is proposed that Edinburgh Airport lose its permitted development rights for car parking use. In future permission would require to be sought from the City of Edinburgh Council
- support for proposals to environmentally enhance the Gogar Burn through potential restoration and diversion schemes and provision of new or altered flood control and retention measures
- in accordance with Scottish Planning Policy 21 Green Belts, removal of the Airport, the new National Showground site, the Royal Bank of Scotland site, and the proposed economic development sites from Green Belt through development plan alterations
Deputy Communities Minister Des McNulty said:
"Planning has a critical role in growing our economy, bringing in jobs and prosperity and providing for a high quality of life that benefits all our people.
"West Edinburgh is of huge strategic importance not only to Edinburgh and the area surrounding the airport in the Lothians but to Scotland as a whole.
"We have got to get the correct development plans in place and the Framework gives us that opportunity
"There are very important interests that need to be balanced here. I am pleased that the Framework is now going out for consultation so that all views can be heard."
Trevor Davies, Convener of Planning at the City of Edinburgh Council, said:
"I welcome the publication of this draft planning framework for the west of the City. I look forward to reading it. And I am sure the Planning Committee will want to give this framework serious consideration to ensure that it delivers wider economic benefits alongside our commitments to sustainable development and good place-making."
Stephen Gallagher, Director of Global Connections at Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian (SEEL), said:
"The proposed strategy for West Edinburgh is critical to Scotland's future competitiveness and the growth of the local and national economy.
"Improving air links and ongoing investment in public transport will make the region a much more globally attractive location for companies to invest. It will also support the continuing development of our priority industries including financial services, tourism and the life sciences.
"We welcome today's launch and look forward to continuing to work with our public and private sector partners in developing and in due course helping to deliver a co-ordinated strategy to unlock the huge economic and investment potential that the area has to offer."