Leith Links Bowling Green Area – Community Consultation
This Christmas, many people may not be able to spend time or as much time with their families in the same way as they did last year. It is true that we have been stressed and put to the test but overall, our community spirit has shone through, our NHS colleagues stepped up and now it seems normal before going out to check we have our mask along with our keys, money and phone! 2020 has been a long, difficult and very strange year but it is nearly at an end and with news about vaccines becoming available, there is hope that next Christmas things will be back to normal.
In the meantime, Persevere and seasons greetings to you all.
Community Councillor Gail Clapton
Vice Chair of Leith Links Community Council
A planning application has been lodged by the Merith House Hotel at 2-3 Hermitage Place for a “change of use from hotel to mixed use of hotel and HMO [house in multiple occupation] and erection of a new 2 storey building on land to the rear of the hotel”.
The land for the new building sits at the junction of Somerset Place and Burns Street, EH6 8AF
The application – case number 20/03011/FUL – can be viewed on the city council’s planning portal:
The plans show that the 2 storey building at the rear of the hotel (which already has planning permission but is not built yet) would be altered internally to contain more bedrooms than originally planned (when it was to be an ‘annexe’ to the hotel). It is now proposed to contain 11 bedrooms intended to be occupied by residents on a long term / permanent basis. Most rooms will be 10.2 square metres in total (including the ensuite bathroom).
There would not be any communal space or cooking facilities but the hotel kitchen in the main building would be available to them for cooking, it seems.
It is not clear yet – we are checking this out currently – whether the hotel in the main building is also intended to be changed from a hotel to an HMO, or whether a ‘mixed’ hotel and HMO facility is proposed. We will update with this information asap.
The last date for comments on this application is Friday, 18 December.
Members of the community can submit their responses directly onto the planning portal, as above, and / or you could make your views on this known via the form below. (and we will forward it along with the Community Council’s own response).
If you wish to contact the Community Council on this matter with a fuller response, please email planning@leithlinkscc.org.uk
[Form removed on 11/12/21]
City of Edinburgh Council have this week announced that they are considering demolishing a disused building on Leith Links. The building which is located next to the tennis courts and bowling greens has been unused for some time.
Members of Leith Links Community Council were informed at our meeting of Monday 30 November 2020 that the demolition is being considered due to anti social behaviour at the site and the building being in a poor condition.
We are not aware of the Councils full intentions for the site at this time.
If any citizens have any views as to whether the building should be demolished or not please do share your views (as well as any questions etc) with the three Leith Ward Councillors;
And please do share your views in the comments box below so that we know your views.
The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will take place on Monday 30th November, at 6:30pm, online, via Microsoft Teams.
The link for the meeting will be sent out by email.
The meeting is open to interested members of the public. If you wish to attend, please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk and ask to be sent an invitation /link for the meeting.
Here are
(1) the Agenda for the meeting.
(2) the LLCC MINUTES October 2020 (draft until adopted at next week’s meeting).
(3) the Licensing Update (incorporating link to LLCC’s response to the Scottish Government’s recent consultation on Short Term Lets) by Licensing Sub Committee Spokesperson Michael Traill.
These are also stored for access at any time in our online Library.
Leith Links Community Council has been asked by Leith for Ever to share the following information. Please note that Leith Links Community Council has not discussed the Leith for Ever project and therefore is providing the information without comment or endorsement.
Leith for EverLeithers past and present are being asked to share their thoughts about the area as part of a new lottery-funded project, An evolving online exhibition which will feature 100 people, places, objects and events which represent the independent spirit of Leith. Launched on the centenary of Leith becoming part of Edinburgh, on November 5, 1920, it takes its title from a protest banner which read: “Leith For Ever. We protest against Amalgamation.”
The exhibition is the brainchild of a group of Leith-based organisations, including Leith Civic Trust, Yardheads productions, Leith Festival and Cinetopia in response to the City of Edinburgh Council Archive’s ReDrawing Edinburgh project. Originally the City of Edinburgh Council planned a year of events to mark the centenary of the amalgamation of eight districts into Edinburgh – however because of the Covid crisis most of the activity has had to take place online.
The Leith For Ever project received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, which made awards in October to support organisations dealing with the Covid crisis.
Join us each day to celebrate the people and places of Leith: www.LeithforEver.org/100DaysYou can also find us on facebook, twitter and instagram: @LeithForEverShare your ideas of individuals, places, objects, or stories about Leith that you would like to see featured, or volunteer to provide content for a post: www.LeithforEver.org/submitWe would also love to hear from any community groups or organisations who might want to get involved in the project. Please email us on hello@LeithforEver.org.Image of the Leith For Ever Banner from Edinburgh City Council Capital Collections here:
Earlier today City of Edinburgh Council announced that Ethan Young (Scottish National Party) has been elected to represent the Craigentinny/Duddingston ward at the City Chambers.
Councillor Young now automatically becomes an ex officio member of Leith Links Community Council.
Speaking on behalf of Leith Links Community Council Chairman Jim Scanlon said;
On behalf of Leith Links CC I would like to congratulate Ethan and look forward to seeing him at our next CC online meeting. I hope we can work together constructively on issues effecting local residents.
Earlier this evening Leith Links Community Council submitted a further representation to City of Edinburgh Council regarding its Spaces for People programme.
The submission to City of Edinburgh Councils Transport and Environment Committee, and Leith Ward Councillors Booth, McVey and Munro has been made ahead of its meeting due to be held on Thursday 12 November 2020 from 10am. Click here to watch the meeting live on the internet and read the papers for the meeting.
Commenting on the submission Community Councillor Sally Millar said;
It does not seem right that decisions are being made about our area without consulting local people. And if the council really has monitored traffic and done impact assessments, then where are the data?
Earlier in the year, there was a big question mark hanging over £eith Chooses, but the Steering Group has been working away in the background and the good news is that it is ON! There is £46,102 available for community projects in Leith (max £5,000 per project). Applications are open NOW and voting will be in January 2021.
Some things will be a bit different from previous years, but face to face discussions and advice sessions are not possible for now, so an online community meeting has been set up to share the news of how it will run, and to give everybody the chance to ask questions and chat about things. Survey results will also be discussed.
Anyone / everyone in the Leith community, or with an interest in participatory budgeting, is invited to an online community discussion meeting on Tuesday 10th November at 18:30 – 20:00 (max).
To get the link, attend and participate, please register with Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/eith-chooses-online-community-discussion-meeting-tickets-127231216995
The meeting will be via the (free) Microsoft Teams platform
Read more / download an Application Form, at the £eith Chooses website.
Did you know that you can raise community concerns with local Police Officers by email?
It is really important that any specific crimes are reported to Police Scotland by calling 101 (non emergency) or 999 (emergency). These telephone numbers are always monitored and allows your reports to be logged & assigned to officers.
But, community concerns can be emailed to local community Police Officers. The email address for the Leith & Leith Walk Wards is EdinburghCPTNorthEast@scotland.pnn.police.uk. Please be aware however that this email address is monitored by operational Police Officers amongst their other duties so it is not continuously monitored meaning you may have to wait a few days for it to be read & responded to.
You can also send a tweet to community Police Officers in North East Edinburgh – @edinpolne.