Edinburgh councillor blogs – Alex Lunn

June 3, 2016 12:52 pm

Councillor Alex Lunn is SNP councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston, and among his other council appointments he is a member of the council’s Development Management committee which decides on planning applications.

He writes:

“Edinburgh Council has given the green light to the Edinburgh Garden District. While there is considerable way to go with this development, including the submission of a design master plan, this is great news for city.
“Economically the garden district is good for employment, good for our infrastructure and good for sustainable growth. The Garden District will create hundreds of jobs and indirectly support thousands of others including dozens of small business in west Edinburgh.
“The council also recognised the Garden District will give the city hundreds of desperately needed affordable homes. Allowing young people in particular to get themselves out of their parents homes and the private rented sector.
“There are also huge benefits for city and the council in particular. A new primary school and leisure facilities including the opening up of a new park. The new school will be most welcome to the west of the city.
The benefits to the growth of public transport and the tram and train in are clearly evident. The development will be surrounded by several tram and train stops all within a ten minute walking distance from the houses and new school. Public transport will be plentiful and the likely way the vast majority of residents will connect with the rest of the city..There is no doubt about the excellent sustainability of the development
“While this is just the first step for this development the potential is enormous. The potential has also been seen and supported by the local community. So much so that three community councils as well as several residents and community groups have welcomed this. Edinburgh is growing and today is good day for the city.
“Especially if you are looking for affordable housing.”