A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR PORTOBELLO?
Community 'Open Space' Public Forum
Sunday 27th of November from 1.30-5.30pm
St James' Church Hall, Rosefield Place, Portobello
Free. Shared childcare will be arranged. All Welcome!
Building on the success of the Portobello Campaign Against the Superstore, Portobello Energy Descent and Land Reform Group (PEDAL), Edinburgh, are organising a Community 'Open Space1' forum. The forum aims to develop a range of imaginative initiatives – including pushing for a community buy out of the ‘superstore' site – to create a sustainable future for Portobello, and a radical urban role model that other communities and cities could follow.ÂÂÂ
Up for discussion will be plans for the former Scottish Power site: which was recently at the centre of a fierce battle between the local community and developers who wanted to build a superstore on it. The superstore idea was very unpopular, and the community scored a victory when planning permission was refused at a public inquiry earlier this year. Although current legislation in Scotland gives rural communities the right to buy land they need to sustain their way of life (e.g. the community buy-out of the Isle of Eigg); urban communities do not currently have this right. PEDAL are hoping that the community can put pressure on the Scottish Parliament to change the law.ÂÂÂ
One possible use for the land would be to establish socially affordable and ecologically imaginative housing. This could be part of a broader Sustainability Centre which might include a Centre for Alternative Futures similar to the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, or the Eden Project in Cornwall. There could be exhibition space focusing on sustainable city designs. Hands-on exhibits could focus on community solutions to ecological and social problems. The Centre could create a range of new local jobs and attract new urban ecological tourism to the area.
Energy Descent Plan: The Centre might also be involved in supporting the community to develop an "Energy Descent Plan" for Portobello. The first such Plan was created last year in the town of Kinsale in Ireland2, and the idea has spread internationally since then. Participants looked at a range of areas of importance to their community (food production, energy, transport, housing, livelihoods...) and generated ideas about how to use progressively less energy in meeting their needs.ÂÂÂ
Peak Oil & Climate Change: This is a new model for enabling communities to address mounting threats such as climate change and peak oil3 in a way which will give them the best chance of successfully managing future crisis situations. At a time when central government seems unwilling to take serious action on these issues, and individual action can feel woefully inadequate, community action of this kind is inspiring, empowering and helps build community cohesion.
‘Open Space' Public Forum format: Based on the idea that the most useful part of any workshop is the tea break rather than ‘important speeches'! After a brief orientation to the themes, purpose and structure of the Forum, we break into discussion groups - each focusing on different themes identified at the start of the workshop. Discussions are facilitated but people can move between them. The main points of each discussion are recorded and reported back to the whole group at the end. In this way we hope that an inclusive Energy Decent Plan might be created by and for the Portobello community.
Simply turn up on the day, or contact me for further information! Eva Schonveld, Portobello Energy Descent and Land Reform Group (PEDAL)
evaschonveld@yahoo.co.uk www.pedal-porty.org.uk
You are also welcome to the showing of a film about the possible consequences of Peak Oil:
‘The End of Suburbia' - on Saturday 26th November: 5.30-7pm: ‘Evergreen', 230 Portobello High Street
A sustainable future for Portobello?
-
Bob Jefferson
- Posts: 6212
- Joined: 11 Dec 2004, 21:16
- Location: Planet Porty
- Contact:
-
Bob Jefferson
- Posts: 6212
- Joined: 11 Dec 2004, 21:16
- Location: Planet Porty
- Contact:
A video report from today's event:
A sustainable future for Portobello?
Windows Media File 13.34 MB - warning - this is a huge file, not suitable for dial-up connection.
Apologies to Mark Ballard MSP who provided me with what would have been an excellent audio clip if I had only remembered to press the record button. Can't get the staff.
A sustainable future for Portobello?
Windows Media File 13.34 MB - warning - this is a huge file, not suitable for dial-up connection.
Apologies to Mark Ballard MSP who provided me with what would have been an excellent audio clip if I had only remembered to press the record button. Can't get the staff.
Pretty Good BobBob Jefferson wrote:A video report from today's event:
A sustainable future for Portobello?
Windows Media File 13.34 MB - warning - this is a huge file, not suitable for dial-up connection.
Apologies to Mark Ballard MSP who provided me with what would have been an excellent audio clip if I had only remembered to press the record button. Can't get the staff.
