Author: Mike Birch

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The Big Wheel in East Princes Street Gardens – NTBCC Issues Comments

The New Town and Broughton Community Council has submitted its comments regarding the planned installation of ‘The Big Wheel’ in East Princes Street Gardens from this summer until January next year. Our comments have focussed on the loss of important public green space, potential damage to the environment as well as the adverse impact on the City’s heritage and UNESCO World Heritage Site. A copy of the full comments can be found below.

NTBCC Comments – The Big Wheel

There is still time if you wish to submit your own comments to the Public Spaces Team at  publicspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk . The closing date for comments is Thursday 20 March.

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On the Road to Nowhere? Edinburgh’s Streetscape and Heritage Places

We have recently been advised that the Cockburn Association has organised a public meeting to explore the current issues and challenges in managing streetscapes and civic spaces in a heritage city. This is a topic that is close to the heart of the New Town and Broughton Community Council with several examples in our area where concerns have been raised about the impact on the streetscape of Council decisions. The following is an extract from their notice about the meeting.

Not only is the centre of Edinburgh inscribed as a World Heritage Site, but many areas of the city are designed as a Conservation Area, defined as a place of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance which is desirable to preserve or enhance.

Street space in Edinburgh is a finite resource. City of Edinburgh Council policies such as the City Mobility Plan and Future Streets/City Centre Transformation have generally been welcomed, attempting to address the variety of purposes and traffic modes which creates these major tensions and challenges on Edinburgh’s streets.

However, streetscape management is an increasing concern. From the lack of basic maintenance to interventions like the concrete ramp in the internationally significant Charlotte Square, tarmacking over historic setts in Frederick Street and unsightly pedestrian control infrastructure on the High Street are just a few recent examples.

Join us to hear from the Association and other organisations on the challenges of streetscape and civic space management in Edinburgh. Share with us your concerns about what is happening on your street.”

It’s a free event being held on Thursday 3rd April, between 5:30 – 7:30pm in the Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge. You can register via Eventbrite using the following link :

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/on-the-road-to-nowhere-edinburghs-streetscape-and-heritage-places-tickets-1273752029609?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

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The Big Wheel – Prince Street Gardens

As you may have seen in local media, there has been a lot of discussion about the plans to install a Big Wheel in East Princes Street Gardens this summer. According to the notification that we have received from the City of Edinburgh Council, it would operate from the start of July 2025 through to early January 2026 with only a brief suspension during part of October and November. The recent media interest has been sparked by discussion of this topic at our meeting on Monday which highlighted concerns about the impact on the city centre in summer of a further tourist attraction.

Further details can be found in the attached notification.

The Council has requested comments from stakeholders about the plans. The closing date for comments is Thursday 20 March 2025. Comments should be submitted to publicspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk

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Council to Replace Communal Bins Starting Next Week

We have recently received an email from the Council advising that they will be commencing the removal of some of the existing communal bins starting on 10 March. This work is required due to the current bins being obsolete. This is intended to be only a temporary measure until a permanent solution is agreed for the affected streets. It is also stated that the new smaller bins will be emptied daily.

The following is an extract from that email.

We write with a reminder about a piece of work starting next week which will see the remaining 237 large, side-loading bins removed from the City Centre, West End and parts of Stockbridge. Around 1,250 of these bins have been removed from streets across the city as the Communal Bin Review has introduced bin hubs. 

The attached Phase 6 briefing (PDF) contains a list of all streets with these bins on Page 19. The removal of these bins is expected to take around 2-3 weeks and there will likely be increased contact, given that the works are taking place during the ongoing consultation for CBR Phase 6.

CBR Phase 6 – Briefing

Key messages

There are four (4) key messages we’d like your help to highlight to ensure residents (and others) are aware of the works. Continue reading →

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Community Council Elections 2025 – Notice of Results

I am pleased to report that the results of the election of Community Councillors for the New Town and Broughton Community Council have been announced. The City of Edinburgh Council received 15 valid nominations for election to the NTBCC and so all of those nominees have been duly elected. There were also 6 valid nominations of representatives from local interest groups who will serve on the NTBCC. Congratulations to all of the successful nominees.

As well as some of the existing Community Councillors returning for a further term, there are six new Community Councillors. We look forward to them formally joining the NTBCC at our 14 April meeting at Broughton St Marys Church.

The new Councillors are: Boyan Karabaliev, Emma Swift,  Gerry Wells, Masudun Nessa Mitu, Pierre Forissier and Shaun Hodge.

Further information on the results of our election and those across the City can be found in the following email from the City of Edinburgh Council. Community Council Elections 2025 Notice of Results

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Communal Bin Review – Phase 6 Consultation

The City of Edinburgh Council is currently undertaking a consultation exercise as part of their plans to introduce new waste and recycling arrangements within the New Town and some adjacent areas. This is described as being Phase 6 of the Communal Bin Review that started in 2021.

As part of their communications, the Council has written to all residents on the streets included in the current Phase. They have also held three drop-in sessions to allow residents to ask questions about the new arrangements. There is another drop in session underway this afternoon at Palmerston Place Church and two further ones planned at Stockbridge Library and The Dean Church on 7 and 10 March, respectively.

Further information about the consultation can be found in the attached email. You can also find more information on the Council’s website. 

We will be discussing this topic at our next monthly meeting on Monday 10 March which will be held online using Zoom. The agenda and link to the Zoom meeting can be found on our website.

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Agenda for March NTBCC Meeting

The next meeting of the New Town and Broughton Community Council will be held online on Monday 10 March starting at 7.00pm using Zoom. The Zoom meeting can be accessed using the following link.

The agenda for the meeting is shown below.

  1. Welcome and Apologies ­­
  2. Approval of Minutes of February 2025 Meeting and Matters Arising
  3. Chair’s Report
    • Princes Street and Wa­­verley Valley Strategy Consultation Response
    • Edinburgh World Heritage Trust Follow Up
    • Napier University Communications Project
  4. Planning Matters
    • Planning Guidance Consultation (closes 03.04.25)
    • Current Applications to Note
      • 25/00469/FULSTL – 7/8 Baxter’s Place
  5. Transport and Environment Matters (see report below)
    • Transport and Environment Committee (06.03.25)
      • Tables and Chairs Permits
      • East London Street
    • Communal Bin Review – Phase 6 Consultation
    • Trams to Newhaven Project Update
  6. Licencing Matters
    • Licensing Board Applications to Note
    • Civic Licensing Applications to Note
  7. Culture and Communities Matters (see report below)
    • Drummond Community High School Playground Access
    • Report on Culture & Communities Committee meeting (27.02.25)
      • Firework Control Zones
      • Use of the Ross Bandstand
    • Consultation on Management Rules for Public Parks, Beaches and Green Space (closes 11.04.25)
    • Installation of Big Wheel in Princes Street Gardens
  8. Any Other Business

NTBCC Transport & Environment Committee Update – March 2025

NTBCC Culture & Communities Committee Update  – March 2025