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Thursday, 15th May 2008

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Dawe praises 'tough' council



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COUNCIL leader Jenny Dawe today said that approval for the controversial Caltongate scheme proved that her administration can make tough decisions.
The £300 million plans for the Old Town have been backed by councillors on the planning committee and now await a response from Scottish ministers.

In a speech to mark the first anniversary of the Lib Dem/SNP coalition, Councillor Dawe said: "It had been suggested a coalition – particularly with such tight numbers – might lead to paralysis.

"This, quite simply, has proved untrue. We have shown ourselves ready to act properly and in the best interests of the city and to face up to the thorny issues and tough decisions which the previous administration ducked out of."





The full article contains 122 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 May 2008 11:20 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Buttress,

09/05/2008 12:12:59
Of course it's the wrong decision, and one which may fall foul of EU rules on disposal of council assets.

Sorry Jenny Dawe - it only proves how wrong you can get it, and how little you listened to solid objections. I seem to recall your horror at the development expressed not so long ago? What changed your mind?

Bulldozing listed buildings to help a developer gain more land and building a clone town and inappropriate development in a WHS isn't a sound or a tough decision, and it's one steeped in the mire of the previous administration. I have no doubt they would have passed it without qusetion, so what's your point?

www.eh8.org.uk

and see the daily blog for more.
2

Buttress,

09/05/2008 12:22:20
I can't see how this has been blocked and the sale by the council of the Canongate Venture (listed) and other buildings to Mountgrange can go ahead:


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."




3

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 09/05/2008 12:39:43
#1 it's the 'wrong decision' in YOUR opinion.

At the end of the day, an elected committee granted planning consent, so why not accept the democratic process ?
4

Buttress,

09/05/2008 12:45:00
Yes, my opinion, which is generally what this ability to post here is about, as good as anyone else's and in my opinion generally more informed than anything you post. :-)

However, the 'democratic' process seems to have been faulty here in that very solid objections were ignored, and in fact the issue is now with Ministers, who may put it to public inquiry. Of course, the bulldozing of a listed building is against national policy too.

Any comments re the land disposal issue then? Think the case is relevant and it may be unlawful to sell off to Mountgrange without allowing any other tenders?

Mountgrange said it was all or nothing. Having got extra land, I suspect if permission is finally given Chande will laugh all the way to the bank and resell anyhow.





5

alex paterson,

At the moment in Sevilla 09/05/2008 13:15:18
Well done Jenny Dawe a truly wonderful council leader.
6

Buttress,

09/05/2008 13:20:21
Of course, passing the Caltongate development was not a tough decision anyhow - it had to go to Ministers for the real decision, as the council has such a financial interest and it's against national policy. The really tough one would have been to turn it down...

Political spin.

7

I love to eat Sellotape,

09/05/2008 13:28:09
I love to eat Sellotape
8

Moscow Central 42,

09/05/2008 13:39:52

Changed her tune her tune a bit hasn't she! Within weeks of taking office last year, the Dear Leader, Councillor ( Hoi Polloi ) Dawe was mouthing off about how much she disliked aspects of the Caltongate Scheme.
9

Annoyingboi,

Edinburgh 09/05/2008 13:42:34
She is a liability!
10

Buttress,

09/05/2008 14:36:57
'In her latest Leader`s Report Cllr Jenny Dawe has given "Caltongate" its own category. It's funny how things can change in time, Ms Dawe is perhaps referring to herself saying "The images were just grotesque and hideous" back in May 2007 when she says in March 2008 " Clearly, people have their own opinions and they have taken the opportunity to express them very eloquently" '

For the full article, see:

http://independentrepublicofthecanongate.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html


'Cllr Dawe said: "I'm not anti-development at all. However, I do believe that any development must respect the heritage of the city. Malcolm Fraser is a very well known and respected architect and I was astounded to discover he was behind those images which appeared in the Evening News last week. The images were just grotesque and hideous. "I would've expected someone of his reputation to produce something a bit more sympathetic to its surroundings, but they were pretty gross." '




11

Buttress,

09/05/2008 14:40:17
More from the above link:

'(Her planning committee took less than 10 minutes to pass this building at the committee on the 6th February, people could not believe their ears or eyes when witnessing this contempt for the city and its people by this table of people having a laugh about how they were all adults and wanted to get home for their tea, it wasn`t even past 7pm, on a scheme so important and large, they could not be bothered. Cllr Rob Munn SNP for Nrth Edin and Leith, who hardly contributed all day became very vocal on the subject of getting home)

Cllr Dawe also raised concerns about the approach of developers Mountgrange, Full Article Here

What she said the day Caltongate was passed including this -

"The Caltongate development is an important regeneration project for the city centre. '
12

Andrew Murphy,

EDINBURGH 09/05/2008 14:50:31
The whole of the Old Town is in danger with this council.

Take a walk around the lanes and closes in the Old Town and you'll see every bit of land disappearing with structures that just do not fit in.

What this council is doing to the Old Town needs to be questioned and stopped if it’s not right for the area.

Because they are destroying our heritage.
13

Saloux,

Edinburgh 09/05/2008 14:57:09
She is no worse than the rest of the clowns that have occupied this post but this development along with the Waterfront and Haymarket just do not fit in with the rest of Edinburgh. A tough council - first laugh I have had all day.
14

Ray Merrall,

Edinburgh 10/05/2008 05:48:36
Tough! ROFLMYHO!
Spinning Dawe cannot even take the easy decisions, let alone anything more difficult. Mind you, opening her mouth and making vacuous statements is easy enough for our esteemed leaderene
Edinburgh Council is in a state of stagnation and gridlock. Feart to do anything and nothing.
15

Jim Taylor,

Edinburgh 10/05/2008 09:39:54
Alex Paterson has lost it. A wonderful leader? Not!!!

What we have is a political system that ignores the will of the people.

No one asked for the Caltongate wart for Edinburgh, yet many have opposed it.

City politicians, like their nation collegaues, believe that we should elect them and let them get on with ruling us until the next election.

Shouldn't they be listening to us and reflecting our views rather than enacting what they think is good?

because don't we know that once they hold our power, they are part of a gravy train that distorts the will and aspirations of the electorate?

Dawe is just the latest in a long line of politicians who think being "strong" gives her the right to ride roughshod over those who elect her.

It's a steady descent from an ex-Labour voter to an ex-voter.


 

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