ISBN 0 7559 2935 7 (Web only publication)
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Attendance:
Irene Beautyman - City of Edinburgh Council
Craig McCorriston - West Lothian Council
David Leven - Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian
Derek Muir - Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
Tom Williamson - Scottish Executive Development Department
Simon Bonsall - Scottish Executive Development Department
Apologies:
Ken Tippen - City of Edinburgh Council
Phil Noble - City of Edinburgh Council
Minutes
1. Progress on Strategic Environmental Assessment
The SEA programme is being conducted by MWH Global consultants. Project 1 was an information gathering exercise to inform the SEA and conjoined with the SEPA Gogar Burn Partnership project so that the information is available to both projects. This is now substantially complete.
Project 2 is the SEA proper and will run alongside the Framework review. A draft scoping report for the SEA will be issued on 23 rd December 2005 with responses to be made by the end of the second week in January 2006. It was agreed that the scoping report should be issued to the members of the steering group for comment. Once the draft scoping report has been agreed a formal consultation via the Scottish Executive's SEA Gateway will occur.
The SEA Environmental Report will be issued for consultation at the same time as the consultative draft West Edinburgh Planning Framework. The consultation period for both documents should be the same, although MWH are to confirm that a five month consultation period for the Environmental Report is not required as initially suggested.
2. Progress with the Gogar Burn Partnership Study
This is progressing well and the results will be fed into the review of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework. Flood alleviation is a significant issue and when assessing options SISTec are expected to assess the implications of diverting and not diverting the Burn.
A funding strategy for the diversion of the Burn is likely to be needed, should that be the suggested course of action. Many interested parties will be affected by the diversion, either through improvements to the existing flooding situation or by loss of land for compensatory flood water storage. SISTec are required (by their brief) to assess potential funding sources for implementation of any recommendations they make.
If the diversion of the Burn is decided to be practical, viable and achievable, the West Edinburgh Planning Framework might contain a policy to facilitate the diversion.
The issue of compensatory flood storage should be addressed at the next Gogar Burn Partnership meeting.
There is a need to bring all of the interested parties together to ensure that the parties can consider the scheme as a whole. An equalisation of benefits for the interested parties might require consideration.
3. Update on progress with Edinburgh Airport Masterplan
The Scottish Executive and City of Edinburgh Council has now responded to the draft masterplan.
A masterplan Steering Group has been established which includes representatives from the Local Authorities, Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise and BAA. A final masterplan is expected in April.
4. Progress on Royal Highland Centre relocation
A study into the feasibility of the RHASS being relocated to a new site is to be commissioned by SEEL early in the new year. The remaining area of the existing RHASS site, following expected expansion of the airport, will be considered by the West Edinburgh Planning Framework
5. Update on Transport Modelling
MVA consultants have been instructed to undertake the transport modelling for the West Edinburgh Planning Framework. Currently the base year (2002) has been established and scenario testing should commence shortly. The scenarios will be broadly as follows:
- Base with tram;
- Base with train;
- Base with tram and train;
- Base with Gogar to the Airport road link;
- Base with road link from M8;
- Base with road link from the M8 and road link from Gogar;
- Base with all of the new infrastructure;
- Appropriate scenario with added economic development (this was introduced after the meeting to ensure the modelling will account for potential additional economic development in the area).
Modelling the activities of the Show Ground is difficult, the number of full time employees is insignificant in terms of the overall model (adapted from the Transport Model for Scotland ( TMfS)) but larger events are unusual within the model. FETA is to undertake investigations into the issues surrounding the Forth Road Bridge. Therefore it would be premature for the West Edinburgh Planning Framework to undertake a modelling exercise for the impact that a new crossing might have on the road network.
The Show Ground acts as an emergency gathering site. The City of Edinburgh Council should consider the implications of relocation for their emergency planning responsibilities and procedures.
6. Update on likely form of the plan
The revised West Edinburgh Planning Framework is likely to be nearer to a local plan than a structure plan in detail and presentation; however it will not necessarily identify actual site boundaries but may identify more general areas of opportunity. The Framework is likely to be more map based than previously and it is likely that only a limited number of land uses will be dealt with (given the hierarchy of the plan within the development plan structure). However, there will still be text. It was suggested that the Framework should also include a schedule of schemes or programmes that need to happen in order to deliver the vision for West Edinburgh.
7. Future timetable / Critical path
The draft Framework publication for consultation has slipped in order to accommodate the outcome of the Gogar Burn Partnership work, the Royal Highland Centre Relocation feasibility study and the Airport masterplan. It is now likely that the draft Framework will not be issued for consultation before July 2006.
At the same time as the draft Framework goes out to consultation the Environmental Report will also go out to consultation through the Scottish Executive's SEA Gateway.
It will be necessary to hold a stakeholder meeting.
It would be advantageous if all the actively interested Landowners/developers could be brought together, possibly in March.
8. AOB
SEEL is developing a project with BAA to carry out landscape improvements to Eastfield Road and it was agreed that there is no reason for this to be delayed until publication of the revised West Edinburgh planning Framework.
A meeting of the Steering Group and tie ltd is to be arranged for early January 2006.