New Portobello High School - planning application

[Bob Jefferson]

From today's EN:

Portobello scheme unveiled

[seanie]

Scrap school rebuild plans...

[wangi]

The Planning application for the new Portobello High School, situated on a portion of Portobello Park was submitted on Thursday 30 September; see 10/02830/FUL on the council's planning portal: "The erection of new Portobello High School and associated ancillary buildings, site works, car parking, landscaping, pitches and floodlighting".

• Overview: http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/ ... eturn=true
  Associated documents:
  http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/ ... /02830/FUL

It's currently got a status of "Insufficient Fee"

L/

[wangi]

For earlier discussion on this issue see the following threads:

• New Portobello High School - on going issues (starting Oct 2007)
  New Portobello High School- Where and how? (starting Oct 2005)

L/

[seanie]

It might be best to wait a few days; the number of documents in the planning application will be huge and it'll take a while to get them all up. I think they were hoping to have it by the end of next week.

[Maria]

Is it just me or is there a plan ( ground floor?) missing? I can't find some of the classrooms listed on the accommodation schedule

[Maria]

It might be best to wait a few days; the number of documents in the planning application will be huge and it'll take a while to get them all up. I think they were hoping to have it by the end of next week.

Is it just me or is there a plan ( ground floor?) missing? I can't find some of the classrooms listed on the accommodation schedule

Ah! I'll look again later.....

[Bob Jefferson]

Over 100 views now for seanie's film on YouTube. Speaking to camera like that isn't at all easy and he did a great job. Several more films are planned. The second, featuring ex-councillor Lawrence Marshall should be online later today. And don't worry, I've already warned him that he only has 3 minutes.

[Bob Jefferson]

Here it is. Select 360p for best quality.

[Bob Jefferson]

Next up - Willie Wilson

[Porty]

Over 100 views now for seanie's film on YouTube. Speaking to camera like that isn't at all easy and he did a great job. Several more films are planned. The second, featuring ex-councillor Lawrence Marshall should be online later today. And don't worry, I've already warned him that he only has 3 minutes.

3 Minutes? He might not get to "Hello"

[seanie]

The application now appears to be live.

Additional info's been added although don't know if there's more to come.

[Maria]

Is it just me or is there a plan ( ground floor?) missing? I can't find some of the classrooms listed on the accommodation schedule

The application now appears to be live.

Additional info's been added although don't know if there's more to come.

Well, the ground floor plan is up there now, but unlike the others I looked at, it is impossible to read.

[seanie]

Funny. Looks like an actual scan of a drawing rather than a saved file.

[seanie]

I've been going through the summary of responses and will collate edited highlights. Came across a particulalry entertaining one though;

Consultation team invited to Towerbank Fair, event not widely advertised and therefore not 'public'. Chair of Parent Council gave people information and discussed plans with no authority to do so - compromising the validity of the process and the alleged neutrality of the consultation team. All data collected at the event should be declared invalid.

[Bob Jefferson]

Peigi MacArthur, Head Teacher at Portobello High School

[seanie]

Having had a look through the PAC report I thought I'd share some of the highlights from the objections received;

• School is madness – concrete monstrosity that will be a blot on the landscape.

• Vast majority of residents do not want park built on.

• Disapprove of school being built on park. Portobello Park is one of the most used in Edinburgh.

• Not true to say that placing of school has approval of majority of Portobello citizens – there is huge opposition

• Appalled at possibility could be built on Portobello Park

• Fumes at cross roads – are these measured – what does Chief Medical Officer have to say about lung disease figures – perhaps deaths and possible increase in TB cases

• Unacceptable to destroy a large, well-used open space

• Despicable project

• My participation in consultation was to object to the entire concept of stealing park land to build a school and I shall continue with this opinion if the project reaches the planning stage

• Anger at proposals to build a new school on this site

• Disapprove of new build. Stealing park from people of Portobello

• Leave our park alone you have no right to steal it

• Plans to build school and housing are criminal

However, there's something odd about the report. I forwarded on a considerable number of responses to the consultation, both positive and negative, gathered through the Towerbank survey.

For some reason they appear to be missing.

[Poppy]

Portobello Park is one of the most used in Edinburgh.

I often cross the football bit on a Saturday afternoon and am frequently only one of a couple of people there and sometimes the only person in sight - and that's on nice warm sunny days. The other parks in Edinburgh must have tumble-weed blowing across them.

"Stealing" community land for a school forthe community - that makes no sense.

TB from traffic fumes. Interesting!

[Doris]

I take it that Portobello Community Council will be responding to this application on behalf of the community. Anybody know what that response will be?

[Bob Jefferson]

With four films uploaded and several more to make, my computer has broken down again, leaving me the unenviable option of attempting to edit on an old beaten-up laptop, XP and Windows Movie Maker. Anyway, the stats so far are:

Sean - 141 views
Wilie - 74
Peigi - 62
Lawrence - 55

We currently have 234 members of the Facebook page, which hopefully will translate into 234 letters of support for the application. Have you submitted yours yet?

[Makaveli]

We've done ours and all our friends in the area have too.

[Bob Jefferson]

Guess who's been caught telling porkies again?

Subject: SAVE THE PARK - GOLF COURSE UNDER THREAT - PLEASE WRITE
Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2010 10:52:16 +0100

Dear All

You may have heard that Edinburgh Leisure has identified that a number of facilities have been earmarked for possible closure because of cost-cutting measures. One of these facilities is Portobello Golf Club. It is not a definite plan yet but still worrying. The closure of the golf club would come at a very convenient time for the council who could then allow the school to encroach onto the golf course land. It would also further the council's avowed aim from the outset of this project of developing the whole park and golf course area.
In addition to this the electricity cable across the golf course, which according to Scottish Power is not that old and in good condition, is being replaced by a very high transmission cable - 33000 volts standard. The council's wayleave for the existing cable has run out and the council is refusing to renew it so Scottish Power is going to have to pay to lay the cable round the edge of the GC.

You might wonder why, in these cash strapped times, is the council forcing an expensive laying of a cable that is currently happily under a golf course? Could it be that it more easily frees up the land for a future housing development? Especially since their action doesn't cost them anything directly - as usual the money will come from the consumer who pays the standing charge on their electric bills.

It is easy to see how this could add up to the whole area being built on so if you are concerned, please e-mail local councillors Mike Bridgman, Maureen Child and Stephen Hawkins plus MSP Kenny MacAskill and MP Sheila Gilmore asking why Portobello should have to lose both the park and the golf course when no other area of Edinburgh is having its green space built on.

And a response from Maureen Child:

The withdrawal of Edinburgh Leisure from running Portobello Golf Course (to the north of Portobello Park) may prove to be real. But the excavations around the area are enabling works for the school IF it goes ahead (see attached briefing note). The underground cables are not being moved to make the golf course land more attractive to private housing developers, as rumour may have it.

And the briefing note referred to:

New Portobello High School
Site Services : Scottish Power Electrical Cable

We identified a major 33kv underground electrical cable crossing the proposed site for the new high school when analysing the site information. The cable is located towards the south east, from Milton Road to the millennium planting.

Engineering advice is clear that removing this cable resolves any risks in relation to its location, depth and the proposed re-grading of this area to form the synthetic pitches. We do consider it good practice to ensure that the grass area is free from constraints of live underground service and see it as a positive contribution to improve parkland management.

This type of work can need significant lead-in time. In this case we needed to give at least 6 months notice before the termination date of 31 December in any year. As a result, Scottish Power’s wayleave for this route was cancelled. If we had missed the opportunity to terminate this year would mean having to wait until Dec 2011.

Scottish Power selected October 2010 as their preferred time for the rerouting works and advised local residents of their proposals to install a new cable along Hope Lane and Stanley Street. This work is now underway.

It is not our intention to pre-suppose the Planning outcome but we do have to manage the project risks. The current arrangements had to be put in place to sustain the project programme if planning permission is granted. The project potentially faced a significant delay (of up to one year) and associated costs if we did not serve notice in advance.

Although the cable continues to the north, across the Golf Course, the ‘dead’ cable will be safely left in situ by Scottish Power, with the original section currently lying beneath the park only being removed if planning is approved and ahead of any construction work. The timing of the future removal of the park section of cable would be left until as near the site start date as practical.

The planning application, as submitted on 30 September 2010, clearly reflects that there is no intention that the school encroach onto the golf course land. This area lies out with the scope of the High School project and we have no proposals for it.

For further Information contact: John Baker; Project Co-ordinator
john.baker@edinburgh.gov.uk or telephone: 529 5889

[Pal of Porty]

Guess who's been caught telling porkies again?

Bob, Is there a named author of that letter?

[Porty]

Guess who's been caught telling porkies again?

its hard to be sure who the author is but I do seem to recognise the style and wild extrapolation. I'm thinking its got to be someone who is close enough to a Councillor to see their briefing notes. "Wayleave" is hardly a commonly used term. Who amongst us is close to a Councillor and could work out the following equation?

1 X ( Some forethought for renewing an electric power cable) X (50% hatred of City of Edinburgh Council) X (25% conspiracy theorist) X (25% fantasy author) = The wrong answer.

Wasn't there a recent incident of a PPAGer demonstrating very poor arithmetical skills?

[Bob Jefferson]

Speaking of porkies, does anyone have a copy of the PPAG leaflet that was being distributed over the weekend?

[Bob Jefferson]

The Facebook page I set up recently in support of the planning application currently has 274 members and I get the impression that many people have already submitted their comments of support. Here is the script for the film I never got round to making:

A New Portobello High School - Bob

[Porty]

Speaking of porkies, does anyone have a copy of the PPAG leaflet that was being distributed over the weekend?

What's the story this time?

[Bob Jefferson]

Dunno. Haven't seen a copy yet but assume it's just more of the usual nonsense, misinformation, paranoia and lies.

[Bob Jefferson]

Although, to be fair, I still haven't actually seen a copy. Perhaps I do PPAG a disservice and their latest communication may be factual, informative and entirely truthful. Perhaps...

[Porty]

Perhaps. it has been very quiet hasn't it? No letters in the EN and as far as I know there's been no actions raised at the Court of Session. Apart from the sporadic newsletters there's been no PPAG action since Alison told us all how well the fundraising was going, which was so long ago I can't even remember when it was. Although I do believe the numbers attending "Party in the Park" have been much the same for the last 3 Years.

[wangi]

http://news.scotsman.com/education/Last ... 6592621.jp

CAMPAIGNERS for and against building a new high school on Portobello Park have stepped up their battles as the deadline for comments on the planning application looms.
Parents, local residents and other supporters are trying to convince the community to get behind the plans for the new school and register their support with the council's planning department before October 29.

Meanwhile, members of Portobello Park Action Group (PPAG) and other residents who do not want to lose the green space to a new school are calling on people to lodge their objections to the application.

...

[wangi]

Portobello Community Council will be meeting on Monday 25 October to discuss their formal response to the planning application for the new school. CC meetings are open to all members of the public. The CC exists to reflect the views of the community. Catch my drift? Meetings take place at 7:30pm in the Baptist Church Hall. Entrance is next to the Portobello Bar on the High Street. Opinion within the CC is divided over this issue. Please come along to help them make the right decision.

I see that PCC will have three weeks from the meeting on Monday to ascertain the views of the community and to formulate their response, see http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/ ... =507542903

[wangi]

Just to clarify - the deadline for representations on this planning application is Friday the 5th of November.

Thank you for your email enquiry regarding the last date for submissions to the planning application for the new high school. I can advise that the last date is the 5th November for representations. This date is due to the fact that the development has been advertised as an 'EIA' development and this allows for 4 weeks for representations from the publishing of the advert.

[wangi]

At the community council meeting last night representations from the Portobello community were invited. These can be emailed to portobellocc@gmail.com

L/

[Porty]

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