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Decision wait on Caltongate



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Published Date: 08 May 2008
SCOTTISH Ministers have secured more time to reach a decision on the Caltongate scheme.
Councillors have already backed the controversial Old Town plans, but because the council has a financial interest – it owns the archways in Market Street – approval rests with ministers.

The Scottish Government will decide whether to give the go-ahead or order a public inquiry.

Ministers have already extended the 28-day period for a response on one occasion, and the latest deadline ran out yesterday.





The full article contains 83 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 May 2008 11:13 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Caltongate development
 
1

Old Town Resident,

edinburgh 08/05/2008 12:16:14
Not only do the council own the arches, but also the Canongate Venture and the former vegetable Market on East Market St. They also own half of the homes in the Macrae Tenements (which are now lying empty!)The other half have been bought out by Rettie and Co the letting agents for Caltongate Developers Mountgrange. They are also to receive 20% of profits from the development. So they have a very large financial interest indeed.
see www.eh8.org.uk and www.independentrepublicofthecanongate.blogspot.com
2

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 08/05/2008 12:29:06
That's excellent news then #1 as the Edinburgh tax payer will benefit greatly from this development.
3

Mallory,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 12:41:55
If only Road Raga.

Edinburgh councillors have over the years shown total incompetance in 'selling off' our common good. With renewed interest throughout Scotland and examination of these actions some folks could become personably liable if their actions are found to be illegal. It is no surprise that Holyrood is treading more carefully.

Given the economic situation delays could in the long run save developers some money...

4

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 08/05/2008 12:52:56
Well I am not sure about that, 20% of the profits sounds good to me.
5

Buttress,

08/05/2008 13:16:02
It also may be the case that seeling the 'council-owned' properties to Mountgrange is illegal under EEC regulations. In my view selling off listed buildings for redevelopment and demolition is also against national policy, and morally dubious too.


'Land Securities' Stratford plan dealt blow by EU ruling
Ben Cook, Regen.net, 28 April 2008

Developer Land Securities' hopes of signing an agreement with Newham Council to extend a shopping centre in the borough have been dealt a blow by a European Union ruling.
The property company has, over the last four years, been developing plans for a mixed-use extension to its 350,000 square foot Stratford Centre in east London. The extension would have involved the development of land owned by Newham Council.

But an EU ruling on a case in France means Newham Council has been forced to put the contract out to full tender.The ruling - which related to a case involving Roanne town council - has established the principle that public development agreements are bound by EU procurement rules. Previously, such development agreements were not considered to be work contracts falling under EU procurement legislation.

Land Securities says it was close to signing a deal with Newham Council and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation to work on the project, but now the contract has been put out to tender via the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Stratford Island Regeneration Project will consist of an extension to the shopping centre as well as educational facilities for the University of London.

A spokesman for Land Securities, which owns the shopping centre, said the company was "disappointed" with the ruling.

He added: "The Stratford centre has development potential and we will take a view on what is the best way forward." '





6

mad moo,

edinburgh 08/05/2008 13:30:22
Road raga
Please dont forget the sale of all this land to Mountgrange was a measly £4.5million (the office block on George IV Bridge was for £7million a few years ago)

As for the 20% profit...ha
The profits only come in after all land for caltongate development has been sold on and the development costs may eat up a big chunk if it is actually all built.

If Mountgrange sell on before (as a cleared site with planning consent) development profits may be minimal.
7

Buttress,

08/05/2008 13:39:21
I also wonder how many people will flock to an 'artists' quarter' in the arches. That's the arches opposite the ugly new council building.

Usually those sort of areas are situated in places which are old and interesting.

This development is neither. The arches will be alone in a sea of mediocrity. While I admit the old market is a very plain building, it could be tidied and re-used. It could even be a market! The Canongate School, however, is a gem of a building, one which relates to the history of the area, and the weathervane tower should be replaced and the building re-used, not flogged off for financial gain.

The economic case has not been made for demolition. I hope that there is a public inquiry.

I suspect that flogging on with permission was always high on the agenda. Once permission has been given, then the details will be changed, in order to make more money from the site.



8

Tom Sutherland,

Old Town 09/05/2008 10:04:00
BRING IT ON. The Public Enquiry on Caltongate that is.

The quicker we send these capitalist running dogs "back home to think again" the better. We don't need hotels, we don't need arty arches. We do need more council housing. We do need more markets and stalls selling beads and face painting.

This is Holyrood we are talking about, not Hollywood.

All hail the Canongate workers republic!
BRING IT ON.
9

grantcat,

Old Town 11/05/2008 18:31:04
Mountgrange can sell the land off as it chooses and if it does there will be no 20% profits - it could sell it to an associate or a pal or really anyone it wants to so the deal is not really the best deal in the world, in fact without being rude I think it was a deal thought up by inept numpties actually, there is no "best value" in the land sale at all and was not put out to the "open market". The council have sold off all the land noted by Old Town Resident #1 PLUS 9 council houses and their back greens on the Canongate, Royal Mile for £4.5 million and promise at profits once ALL the development is SOLD!!!!!!!! Does that sound right or value for money for the council to you?

I know some people think those who are against Caltongate are either just moans, or obsessed or NIMBYs but really we are not doing it for the good of our health, we are campaigning against the development because it is the WRONG one for the site and the council has sold us short. I just hope the Scottish Ministers take all the issues on in a serious manner. I look forward to a sensitive development being built and one that favours homes for families that families can afford to live in and preserves the listed buildings and notes the common good land - not really much to ask for.

 

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