APRIL 2025 MEETING - Report
- sillertonhill
- Apr 29
- 5 min read
Updated: May 28
GRANGE PRESTONFIELD COMMUNITY COUNCIL 9 May 2025
Minute of ordinary business meeting held on 16 April 2025 (20.00) at Cameron House Community Centre.
ATTENDANCE
* = Apologies
7 REPORTS OF INTEREST GROUPS
7.1 PLANNING
Application validated 24 March 2025 for two storey rear flat roof extension at Queens Crescent EH9 to provide new dining and living space. Ref. No. 25/01536/FUL. Last date for comments 27 April. (9/5: Comments submitted by SG.)
SG offered that the proposal will have a negative visual impact within the residential conservation area, unbalancing area character and appearance and creating a path-breaking precedent for the future. SG comments passed to the Chair for consideration.
Note: On Planning Application issues, see:
Planning applications – The City of Edinburgh Council for general guidance
View and comment on planning applications – The City of Edinburgh Council for guidance on submitting comments
Simple Search to access the Planning Portal
7.3 TRANSPORT
SG: CEC’s Strategic Parking Review (SPR) will proceed at a faster pace with the agreed suspension of prior consultation on the shape of Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) and Priority Parking Areas (PPA). This will ‘reduce the Council’s ability to tailor designs to the needs of local residents at this stage of the (Traffic Regulation Order – TRO) process’. Resident comments and objections will continue to be received. In GPCC’s case, they will relate to the unfolding Phase 3 of the SPR programme.
‘Council officers will work together to ensure that residents and businesses are aware of any CPZ or PPA TRO proposals in their area and that they know how to engage with the TRO process to provide their views.’ Transport & Environment Committee Papers 3 Apr 2025. Page 144
The upshot is that GPCC will need to be on the active lookout for the proposals as they emerge and as they affect parking arrangements within the boundary.
Under Phase 3, restrictions scheduled across a segment of the GPCC boundary running from Prestonfield west towards Astley Ainsley.
7.4 COMMUNICATIONS / PUBLICITY
KR: Need to review set-up and structure of website management and of site / email / social media content management. Need to consider responsibilities / coverage / backup and appropriate safeguards.
7.6 NEWINGTON CEMETERY
ERJ: Awaiting further update on the Dalkeith Road wall repair works. Garden work continues with more planters and bedding plants on order. Cemetery wall weakness on western boundary acknowledged and Council aware.
Invitation to 28 April date (12.00) for rededication of James Finlayson and Wife headstone, attended by the Finnish Consul. Finlayson (d. 1852) a Penicuik engineer who became a leading C19 Finnish industrialist. Programme led by former GPCC Planning Lead, Tony Harris, and his wife.
7 OTHER COMMENTS: AG offered the opinion that Working Groups on Planning and Transport should be expressly convened each to carry two to three GPCC members (as opposed to one ‘lead’). A ‘single person’ function offers no opportunity to handle workload, share cover or balance opinion. This suggestion is tabled for the next GPCC meeting.
8 REPORTS FROM OFFICE BEARERS
8.1 TREASURER
Paul Rowlings has demitted from office. He has prepared a draft set of GPCC Accounts for the year to 31 March. Once audited, they will be submitted to the AGM. PR remains ‘on call’ to assist with transition on Treasury, Website and Comms.
The summary position is as follows:
Planned Expenditure: Dalkeith Road GPCC Community Notice Board: Installation scheduled for 12 May. This is community grant funded. The Secretary (KR) will have to establish with Paul Rowlings the detail of payments that will fall to be made.
8.2 SECRETARY
Raphael Bleakley has demitted from office. He remains ‘on call’ to assist with transition on Secretariat and Comms.
9 REPORTS OF OUTSIDE GROUPS
9.1 EDINBURGH ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS
KR strongly encourages new GPCC members to take advantage of the CEC Induction events for new community councillors: Saturday 26 April in person at City Chambers (09.30), Monday 28 April on MS Teams
(c. 18.00). The events will cover community councillor roles, undertakings, responsibilities, codes of conduct and media use. (There will be a second screen event to be arranged.)
Contact Cllr. Kumar in the first instance to book a place:
There will be an EACC live event at City Chambers on Saturday 31 May (09.30 – 13.30) which will feature CEC roles in community empowerment, engagement and planning and the work of the Transport & Environment Committee, under the leadership of Cllr. Stephen Jenkinson. There will be space for two attendees from GPCC. It’s a learning and networking opportunity. More detail later. – EVENT NOW CANCELLED
10 OPEN FORUM
Presence of Mr Peter Woodhouse; recognised as a member of the public.
11 DATE OF NEXT MEETING Wednesday 21 May at Cameron House (19.00)
12 ACTION POINTS ARISING
KR
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