NTBCC meeting minutes 11 July 2022 |

Minutes of New Town & Broughton Community Council’s annual general meeting, held via Zoom, on Monday 11 July 2022 at 7pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. ND (‘no dissent’) means that no-one spoke or voted against a decision.

1 Welcome/Admin/Apologies

1.a Attendance

Mike Birch	NTBCC	Peter Williamson	NTBCC
Annick Gaillard	NTBCC	Bruce Ryan	Minutes secretary
Laura Graham	NTBCC	Cllr Jack Caldwell	Leith Walk ward
Stephen Hajducki	NTBCC	Cllr Margaret Graham	City Centre ward
Jack Hugh	NTBCC	Cllr Finlay McFarlane	City Centre ward
Ken Lochrie	NTBCC	William Gray Muir	Chair, RHSPT
Carol Nimmo	NTBCC	Richard Murphy	Richard Murphy Architects
Richard Price	NTBCC	~12 residents/visitors
David Renton	NTBCC

1.b Apologies

Deirdre Henderson	NTBCC	Cllr Hal Osler	Inverleith ward
Simon Holledge	NTBCC	Angus Robertson MSP	Edinburgh Central
Cllr Vicky Nicolson	Inverleith Ward	Deidre Brock MP	Edinburgh North & Leith

2 Minutes of 13th June 2022 AGM and matters arising

Approved as-is (proposed P Williamson, seconded K Lochrie, ND)
No matters arising

3 Minutes of 13th June 2022 ordinary meeting and matters arising

Approved as-is (proposed P Williamson, seconded M Birch, ND)

3.a Matters arising

Action: D Henderson/R Price to find closing date of and link to Police Scotland consultation
Participation request – see Transport section below

4 Police report

K Lochrie has attempted to contact Police Scotland about their reports to NTBCC, but has received no response. No report has been received for this meeting, despite Police Scotland being contacted when the agenda was issued
- Action: K Lochrie to follow this up
- Action: L Graham to meet informally with Police Scotland contact based at Gayfield Square

5 Presentation: Richard Murphy Architects/RHSPT on amended National Music School application (22/02449/FUL & 22/02450/LBC) and Q&A

5.a Presentation

W Gray Muir reported

He thanks NTBCC for its support since the idea of the NMS-at-RHS idea began.
The original application for a hotel here was submitted in mid-2015. RHSPT was keen to submit its application before the hotel application was determined. Hence a ‘highly complex’ application was submitted by mid-December 2015, and this was a material fact in the determination of the hotel application.
This meant that RHSPT had not had sufficient time to discuss with NMS its needs, nor developed provision of public benefit. There is now a ‘parent’ organisation, currently known as the National Centre for Music.
There are now three classes of changes to the December 2015 application:
- ‘practical’, e.g. sufficient practice spaces, correct administration spaces – there are some implications for the exterior, e.g. the new entrance pavilion to enable child protection and to sign-post the school entrance. (These respond to CEC’s recent development brief.)
- ‘regulatory’: some elements of the 2015 design would not comply with building regulations, e.g. the front railings
- ‘bold design interventions’: the foyer roof-light and the new entrance at the rear of the west pavilion. These had been ‘conditioned out’ of the 2015 application due to insufficient time to discuss them fully with CEC and historic Environment Scotland.
Hence RHSPT had always been aware that a further application would be needed. This is not a major application.
- The consultation period for this application has now closed, but NTBCC should be able to make a submission.

Richard Murphy reported

Changes slide 1: the gardens on the west have been redesigned to be public. It is hoped to extend them between the railings and the road. Car packing would now be behind the lodge.
Changes slide 2: the relation between the two sets of gardens. The rear of the west pavilion will have a new opening. The staircase linking it to the front terrace will be slightly rotated to allow disabled access from one garden to another. Hence the level to the rear of the pavilion will be lowered. There will be a new entrance to a café here.
Changes slide 3: It is necessary to ensure pupils and the public cannot meet, so two separate circulation systems have been designed. Pupils and teachers will enter through a new pavilion which will have pedestrian and vehicle gateways. The upper floor will contain reception and office spaces. Behind this will be school ‘territory’, including practice rooms in octagonal towers. Public entry will be at the front of the school.
- At the eastern end of the building, the skylights are now north-facing, with PV cells on south-facing surfaces.
- The green areas on the slide = a planted roof, which will be visible from Calton Hill.
- Circulation at the front of building is complex. After the entrance door, turning left leads to the terrace and portico. Turning right leads to the new foyer.
- Hence RMA has designed bronze handrails to go all the way up for safety. Where possible, RMT has added bronze planters with to keep people from dangerous edges.
- It’s very desirable for the subterranean foyer to be sun-lit, so there will be glazing the portico floor (with a safety rail to protect those exiting the concert hall). People in the foyer will be able to see the portico’s underside.
- It has not yet been decided whether to retain the current columns or to revert to Hamilton’s original brackets.
- There will be more rooms for residential accommodation, and an extra mezzanine plant-room.

5.b Q&A

M Birch: NTBCC continues to support the plans. However there is concern about how construction (especially demolition) would impact local residents. Please advise about the various plans.
- Most of the issues would arise during the ‘enabling’ works (demolition, opening up the site). A building warrant has been submitted for this. Work would start in September/October 2022 (following issue of a lease to RHSPT) to remove the former gym, the Edwardian lunch wall and the prefab on the western playground. This would be the noisiest work apart from possibly the piling. It will be up to the contractors to define methods and engage with NTBCC on this.
  - Action: NTBCC/ RHSPT to arrange separate meeting, with RHSPT project manager attending, about the detail.
- RHSPT aims for the school to be in operation for academic year 2026-27. The enabling contract would enable RHSPT to understand what it has, by stripping back to foundations, and hence to go to tender for the main contract. The main work would start 6 to 9 months after the enabling contract.
R Price: NTBCC has made a representation strongly supporting the amended application, and raising questions on behalf of residents’ associations.
- The most controversial aspect will be the slot under the portico, but RHSPT strong believes that the foyer must not be an underground ‘bunker’. The window would let people know what the portico does, and where they are.
L Graham: please advise about parking provision
- The school would like many parking places, but RHA plans for 14 places (of which 2 are disabled bays). On-site parking would be only for school staff. There should be sufficient public parking on Regent Rd. CEC is trying to discourage car-use.

6 Transport

6.a East London Street – presentation by East London Street residents and Lothian Buses

See also East London St residents’ report on NTBCC website. The following was presented by two ELS residents and two representatives of Lothian Buses: John White, Craig McCaffery (who is taking over as manager of Annandale depot).

M Birch: NTBCC and Lothian Buses had agreed some changes to tackle noise issues, but these were lost to COVID
ELS residents:
- Our report documents a sizable problem, including mental health issues because bus-noise is preventing sleep.
- Our request is that our street and connected roads’ bus traffic between 7pm and 7am is reduced to zero asap.
  - M Birch: no buses using ELS are in service – they are going to or coming from the depot
- ELS residents are not anti-bus – we realise bus services are vital. However, there is a particular issue in our area, which needs to be minimised using practical solutions to speed, noise and vibration.
Lothian Buses:
- We thank NTBCC for hosting this dialogue. In March 2020, LB undertook to examine options, but then COVID raised problems because many drivers were now based at Annandale St. Then the trams project closed Annadale St and McDonald Rd simultaneously.
- About a year ago, LB made a plan, but this has slipped due to tram-work congestion. LB has been working on mitigation for residents, and to enable LB drivers to know when they might finish work.
- LB’s current priority, as northbound Leith Walk becomes available and repairs to damaged signalling are done, will give better traffic flows on York Place. This will discourage LB drivers from using Drummond Place and ELS. LB aims to be out of Bellevue Rd and environs within in the next 2 weeks. Thereafter, LB will work to specify drivers’ routes to and from the depot. This requires much monitoring, which is currently labour-intensive.
- ‘7 to 7’ is achievable in the long run, but it will need better monitoring. (This is due to arrive over the next 2 years.). It also needs use of tarmacked roads (e.g. Picardy gyratory, York Place, Queen St) but these have currently many non-interlinked traffic signals, leading to buses potentially facing sequential red lights. Within 2 years, buses will be able to engage with these signals. (The current choice is to use ELS which has two pedestrian crossings, or to use the gyratory which has 8 sets of traffic lights.) However, overall/eventually ‘7 to 7’ is achievable.
- The first stage is to reduce bus-use of ELS as much as possible. LB will start implementing this within 2-3 weeks, and will monitor progress. (There will still be tram works, so there will still be issues with drivers not knowing when they will finish.)
- LB is also freeing management time to consider off-service durations. Currently, some of these may be too long, so such travel could be shifted to tarmac roads for early-morning buses. (After 7:30am, this is not possible.)
- As tram-work finishes (around January 2023), LB will have requested from CEC certain traffic-signal systems, e.g. vehicles going along Annandale to Leith Walk will get two green lights.
- LB hence hopes that by the start of August, there will be 50 buses on ELS. After that, it will reduce this number.
- LB’s next service change is 24 July. From then, there should be no buses [on ELS] before 6am. The next change is 11 September. In the intervening period LB will plan to reduce the numbers further.

6.a.i Discussion

Cllr Graham: I had not been aware of this, but have now seen the reports. I am happy to be involved. I recognise LB’s efforts.
Cllr McFarlane: as Cllr Graham. Can LB set key dates? I empathise with residents.
A resident: about 2 years ago there was a petition about the ELS cobbles. No maintenance has been done since then. This is CEC’s responsibility, but ELS was not then identified as a bus route. Is there a timeframe for repairs/upgrade?
- M Birch: NTBCC has raised the issue of appropriate surfaces for ELS. CEC would need to fund any such work.
- Resident: we had taken this matter to CEC, and would like to know how this can be repeated.
- K Lochrie: Drummond Civic sympathises, having received various complaints about late-night buses travelling quickly and causing noise and vibration. Also, the shortest way to cross the New Town is not the main road but other streets that do not have traffic lights. CEC should install relevant measures.
R Price: ELS’s setts are in poor condition. Work had not been done on the setts. Removal of central setts (as done in London St) should be considered. Thus current road condition is limiting traffic speeds. If it was improved, it might attract other traffic. Hence careful thought is needed.
R Price: Buses using Bellevue Rd and Drummond Place are providing services there, but buses on ELS are not. NTBCC needs to facilitate wide discussions, leading to a clear view.
Resident: I look forward to seeing progress. I agree it’s not just buses that are problematic. ELS traffic calming needs to be reviewed. CEC has a key role to suggest solutions, e.g. to provide sufficient 20-mph signage.
- Action: M Birch to forward relevant reports to C Roussot

6.b ETRO consultation – update on NTBCC response & next steps

M Birch: it is not clear why CEC aims to replace TTROs with ETROs while we are in an unusual situation, because ETROs are about experimentation and learning and the tram-works are an unhelpful variable. The temporary SfP measures create additional hazards for those with limited mobility or vision. If they are to be retained, this should be under a full TRO that would introduce full pavements, not just wands. Overall the proposals’ gains are not justified.
- East Princes St (Balmoral, Waverley steps) measures are inadequate, and of no benefit. The bus lane shown on the plans is used for much parking.
- Waverley bridge should be used by buses, because buses now go via Regent Rd. There is much waiting next to St Andrews house, while tour buses are being directed to St Andrews Square

6.c EV charging – status update on recently installed chargers & plan to meet with EV team

M Birch: NTBCC objected to the EV points on ELS. The India St EV points have been rejected. The Heriot Row EV points are due to be running by the end of July if they connected to the electricity grid in early July.
- Cllr Graham: they should be operational by the end of July.
- M Birch: CEC is now considering the next set of EV points. There should be better engagement with the community and heritage bodies about the conservation area.

7 Licensing

See also licensing report in appendix 1.

A Gaillard: activity seems to be increasing after the recess. The licensing board and licensing subcommittee met in June, but there was no-webcast. There was a detailed report on the licensing service and regulatory committee work. This is covered in the licensing report. The licensing committee backlog has been halved from ~12,000 applications.

7.a Additional public houses in the First New Town vs over-provisioning

It is hard to understand what is happening because the registers are ‘spartan’, so I have relied on planning applications
- 64 Princes St (former BHS) was granted planning permission for a basement pub last year, but there is no licensing application.
- 28 Rose St (rear of former BHS): there is a planning application to make this a pub.
- 3 St James Place (behind St Mary’s cathedral) was granted permission to become a pub last year.
- 80 George St has gone quiet.
- 118 Princess St (former HSBC): the agent has applied for many uses. NTBCC should object to this ‘blank cheque’,
I am trying to understand the licensing board’s approach to overprovisioning, by joining the licensing board forum
- Cllr Graham: I sit on the licensing board so cannot comment on any individual cases. I am trying to understand what overprovisioning means. I have asked for the next board meeting (25 July) to be more detailed.
R Price: there is little evidence of the overprovisioning policy (introduced 3-4 years ago) limits being enforced. Also, many applications are to convert retail venues into licensed venues. It is not clear whether there are limits or checks and balances. There is lack of transparency around CEC policies.
- A Gaillard: there is an example of an application for a hen-/stag-party venue which claims to have no nearby residents. This would set a precedent for an uninhabitable new town.

7.b Temporary venues including St James Square, New Parliament House, etc

A Gaillard: it is welcome to see the return of the Festival and Fringe, but CEC licensing may be swamped. Examples:
- New parliament House (former RHS) hidden door festival, followed by Pianodrome, followed by being a Fringe venue. It has applied for entertainment licensing, but it’s not clear that it has applied for alcohol licensing.
- St James Square (foot of W hotel): residents of a tenement block here have been suffering because from construction work noise. There are plans for many nearby venues, but the only application for temporary licensing is for the Spiegeltent for broadcasting live events on the radio. Hence NTBCC has objected on the grounds of residential amenity, and to the entertainment license.
  - M Birch: the hidden door festival followed the rules. It is not known what is planned for RHS over the summer.
  - R Price: the original application set aside a small area for events but this is taking over all of the area.
  - Action: Cllr Graham to report back on which licenses have been issued for the RHS

8 Planning

8.a 27 – 29 Beaverhall Road (HUB) application: update to NTBCC response & follow-ups

R Price: there was a useful meeting tenants, councillors, Ben Macpherson MSP. The key points are
- The developers believe they are replicating the existing amount of space for creative use.
- The key concern is what happens in the interim.
- Cllr Caldwell: nothing has been set in stone, but a possibility for interim creative space is Powderhall stables.

9 Environment

9.a Waste Management – Communal Bin Hub proposed trial for World Heritage site – latest news

M Birch: CEC has paused roll-out of bin hubs in the area, and will trial of alternative collection of dry mixed recycling, using clear plastic bags to be collected in green gull-proof bags. This trial will be from September to February, covering ~1000 households. NTBCC is ascertaining which residents wish to be involved. CEC waste staff have been very helpful.
- L Graham: Gayfield Square residents would be interested in joining this trail.
- M Birch: GS is outwith the trial area, which needs streets that currently have GPBs (~40 streets).
L Graham: bins have been used for construction waste. CEC is refusing to touch them. What can be done?
- Cllr McFarlane: please keep me and other councillors directly informed. CEC can follow up with contractors.
A resident: a visit to the recycling centre has been arranged for 1^st Action: M Birch to follow up.
P Williamson: whatever solutions are chosen, good operation of services is key.
- M Birch: education and monitoring are key.

10 Edinburgh World Heritage management plan: NTBCC position re proposed engagement

M Birch: What should NTBCC’s position be re engagement? A new management plan should start next year. There has been insufficient engagement with residents’ association and CCs.
- A resident: NTBCC had set up a working party on operation of the EWHT, but it’s never met again.
  - Action: M Birch to set up meeting
- Cllr Graham: I was at the first board meeting today. I am happy to be a bridge between NTBCC and the board

11 Any other business & news from local Residents’ Associations etc

K Lochrie: thanks to reinvigorated weekend retail at St James etc, it is impossible for residents to park without paying.
- Action: M Birch to follow this up
K Lochrie: there is concern over rooftop pleasure gardens in Abercromby Place. A penthouse flat sticks out above the roofline. Permission has now been granted for a glass balustrade on a roof ridge.
- A Gaillard: there is discrepancy on how such decisions are made – it appears to depend on which applications are noticed.
- KL to flag this to R Price
P Williamson: there should soon be some movement on engagement about Picardy Place.
- Cllr McFarlane: while this is not part of the trams project, CEC is trying to finish it at the same time. Budget for engagement has now been secured, so engagement is being planned. This should come out in the next two weeks.
- M Birch: NTBCC requires transparency and engagement.
A resident: Great King St had a successful jubilee barbeque.

11.a Summary on George Street First New Town Redesign, for NTBCC 11 July

(submitted by email)

The George Street Stakeholder Forum met on 7 July. This meeting was organised by the sub-contractors Atkins/Faithful+Gould. The two main items on the agenda were ‘Woman’s Safety Audit – Findings and Approach’ and ‘Operational Plan Update – Progress Update, Guiding Principles and Key measures’. (We thought that they were also going to talk about the EQIA, but that wasn’t on the agenda.)

I asked to see a copy of the Women’s Safety Audit before the meeting, but I was told they couldn’t provide ‘a copy of the technical note at this time’. However Fiona Robertson (streets-UK) assured us both that they would provide us with the Powerpoint slides and notes immediately after the Teams session.

During the meeting, which Deirdre Henderson and I attended, both the main items were covered in a perfunctory way and we had limited time for questions, e.g. Deirdre asked about why access to transport wasn’t in the placemaking ring of baseline indicators for women’s safety, and the areas to work on. She was assured it was considered, but it was very unclear where this was. The audit appears to have only been carried out by a small pool of selected people.

Afterwards, instead of receiving further information, we had an email from Faithful+Gould on Friday (8 July) to asking us to, ‘keep the information we presented confidential for the time being…’

Further one-to-one and group meetings have been offered by Atkins/Faithful+Gould before the operational plan is submitted in August. I don’t know if we would wish to join in these meetings under these conditions.

S Holledge and Deirdre Henderson, 10 July 2022

12 Appendix 1: licensing report

12.a Regulatory Committee met on 27th June

12.a.i Edinburgh Council Short Term Let (STL) and their Licensing consultation

Timetable was confirmed in section 4.11 of agenda item 7.1 Licensing Service Update and Draft Regulatory Committee Work Programme.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk):

1st October 2022 – CEC will be required to open Licensing scheme for STL;
- 1^st round of consultation closed on 10^th June 2022;
- 2^nd round of consultation is due to take place on Draft Policy & Draft Conditions, and will get reported back to the Regulatory Committee in September.

By 1 April 2023 – Existing hosts or operators must have made an application to the Council, and if they have done so they can continue to operate whilst their application is processed and determined. New entrants to the market will be required to have a licence application granted before being able to operate.

1 July 2024 – All STLs to be licensed.

12.a.ii Sexual Entertainment venues

Opening Licensing scheme from 1^st April 2023.

12.a.iii HMO

Review of fee structure, and standard conditions as to whether these should be amended to require licence holders, and agents acting on their behalf, to provide adjoining properties with emergency contact details annually.

Licensing Service Workload

The volume of applications remained high throughout the pandemic, and peaked at 800 customer communications (via email and telephone) per day. More recently the volume has dropped to an average of 200 contacts per day.

Backlog was at 12,000 applications at the start of the year, down to 7,946 applications by the end of June.

12.b Alcohol licence registers (Licensing Board)

12.b.i 80 George Street

monitoring for any application(s) in relation to the new proposed ‘Oche’ darts themed restaurant and pub.

22/01207/FUL | Change of use from Class 1 (Retail) to a mixed Class 3 (Restaurant), Class 11 (Leisure) and Sui Generis (Public House) unit with associated internal and external alterations.

Will seek to object on the basis of over-provisioning – Appendix 2 of alcohol-licensing-policy-november-2018 (edinburgh.gov.uk) refers.