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WEST EDINBURGH PLANNING FRAMEWORK 2008 CONSULTATION REPORT
1. The West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 Consultation Draft was published on 29 November 2006 for a 12 week consultation. Over 70 written responses were received and these are tabulated in the Summary of Representations (included as an annex to this report) which summarise the points made by respondees and indicate how the final West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2008 has taken account of them. This report summarises the main issues and how these influenced the final West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2008.
Main Issues and Response
2. The Framework should explicitly link West Edinburgh to the national road and rail network. The national road network links to West Edinburgh at Newbridge and Hermiston Gate junctions giving motorway or dual carriageway access from the rest of Scotland. The proposals for enhancement of the Edinburgh-Glasgow rail links announced in September 2007 together with tram links under construction will provide good rail access from all parts of Scotland to West Edinburgh. These proposals are programmed for delivery from 2010 to 2016. It is also a requirement that existing policy in SPP17 Planning for Transport will be applied in providing throughout the area for public transport, walking and cycling networks giving sustainable access to developments.
3. A link from the Airport to the M8 between Hermiston and Claylands should be built to provide access for the Airport from the motorway network. Contrary views that support exclusion of M8 link. Apart from Edinburgh Tram and the commitments to a Dalmeny rail chord and station in the vicinity of Gogar, other potential transport options will be considered in an appraisal under Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance ( STAG) prepared to inform the City of Edinburgh Council Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan Alteration.
4. The hotel gateway proposed along Eastfield Road is inappropriate both for Eastfield Road as a principal access to the Airport and subsequently as a road restricted to public transport and access only. The West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2008 takes account of these points and of the study into hotel provision in Edinburgh, and proposes that hotels should be permitted both within the Airport land and within the International Business Gateway integrated with other development and transport provision.
5. Designation of land for International Business Gateway is too restrictive due to known development constraints excluding more land than necessary. The International Business Gateway now applies to all the potential land but subject to development meeting the requirements of Historic Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council in relation to protection and interpretation of historic environment. Actual development opportunities will be set out in master plans to be agreed at a later stage.
6. Designation of land for International Business Gateway contrary to economic land allocations in core development areas in approved development plans. West Edinburgh Planning Framework supports the core development areas. The International Business Gateway ( IBG) is intended to be a prestige development specified both within the West Edinburgh Planning Framework, and subject to further detailed specification in a West Edinburgh Partnership Action Plan and in a Strategic Design Framework adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance in a Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan Alteration.
7. Assumptions about Airport growth take no account of Climate Change. The draft predated the Stern, Eddington and much of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) work. This is now taken into account. Growth in the period to 2020 is likely to require land south of the Airport as set out in the White Paper, even if the rate of growth is slower than predicted. In the period post-2020, uncertainty is recognised by not allocating land for the second runway north of the Airport, but by safeguarding it pending a future case being made for it. The West Edinburgh Planning Framework will in any event be reviewed every 4 or 5 years.
8. Concern at loss of Green Belt.SPP21 is clear on the role of Green Belt designation which is not to cover existing development such as airports. Part of the "loss" of Green Belt is therefore recognition of this policy change in respect of the existing Airport, the tram depot and the Royal Bank of Scotland site. The finalised West Edinburgh Planning Framework accepts that land north of the Airport for the proposed second runway should be retained as Green Belt until a valid case for the runway can be demonstrated. Proposed removal of Green Belt designation through the West Edinburgh Planning Framework policy being carried into development plans is therefore 415 hectares currently fully developed, and approximately 600 hectares for new land use allocations, of which 280 hectares is for the second runway and will be retained as Green Belt until a demonstrated case is made. Actual redesignation of Green Belt undeveloped land is therefore approximately 300 hectares or 1.6% of the Lothian Green Belt.
9. Concerns both for and against link road from M8 to Airport and regarding other transport infrastructure. Apart from committed Edinburgh Tram to Airport, and a station in the vicinity of Gogar with a Dalmeny chord railway, other transport infrastructure will be subject to a STAG appraisal of transport in West Edinburgh which will have to take account, inter alia, of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework land use framework.
Further Information
10. The final West Edinburgh Planning Framework can be viewed online at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning. Questions on the West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2008 should be directed to Simon Bonsall; Tel: 0131 244 7546; E-mail: simon.bonsall@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
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