Our aim is How to contact to make your Council fairmilehead YOUR FAIRMILEHEAD COMMUNITY COUNCILLORS: Chair: Dennis Williams 445 2222 [email protected] news voice heard Vice Chair: Louise Maguire www.fairmileheadcc.org.uk january 2010 Secretary: Norman Tinlin 445 5160 [email protected] ARE you concerned about local issues… the state Treasurer: Alison Elfick of the roads, what is happening in schools, the Elected Members: Johanna Carrie, Alison Elfick, Bryan Fisher, need for a safer crossing on that busy street? Richard Hinton, Louise Maguire, Sandy Macpherson, Tom Strathdee, Norman Tinlin, Dennis Williams A very warm These and similar local concerns are shared by the Council opposes volunteer members of Fairmilehead Community Nominated: Barbara Dick (Buckstone Association). Council, and THEIR main objective is to pass Co-opted: James Gow (Buckstone Youth Club & Project). welcome on YOUR views to the appropriate authority for action, be it the Edinburgh City Council or other plan to build public bodies. CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCILLORS (also ex-officio members of Fairmilehead Community Council): Crime report Elaine Aitken (Conservative) hotel in the Park 529 4282 [email protected] Your City Council representatives, Elaine Aitken, Eric Barry (Labour) Eric Barry and Jason Rust regularly attend 529 3265 [email protected] obtained the Green Flag award that our meetings as ex-officio members, but our FAIRMILEHEAD Community Council “recognises and rewards the best green Community Council is officially “non-political and Jason Rust (Conservative) has objected to a hotel and spaces in Britain”. non-sectarian”. 529 4953 [email protected] conference centre proposed for the Calderstones site on the lower slopes Correspondence: City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ Artists’ impressions showed the hotel As a major report on Scottish local government of the Pentlands. building would be prominent against the said: “A Council cannot dissolve a Community slopes of the Pentlands. Council, as it could dissolve or reorganise its SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT: Within the Green Belt and the Pentland Hills Regional Park, the new buildings would Dennis Williams own forums and panels, nor may it choose to Another development opposed by the Pentlands Constituency MSP: replace an existing house at Calderstones, ignore it”. Council was intended for the site of the Biggar Road, Hillend, just outwith the David McLetchie 348 5659 [email protected] Steading restaurant to the West of the A AS CHAIR of Fairmilehead Com- The main role of the Community Councils is to Edinburgh City. The site is on the boundary 702 Biggar Road, close to the Lothianburn munity Council I would like to channel local community views on a wide range of Regional (List) MSPs: Gavin Brown (Conservative), between the Fairmilehead and Damhead interchange near Hillend Ski Centre and welcome you to the first edition of issues. Across Edinburgh, Community Councils George Foulkes (Labour), Robin Harper (Greens), Fiona Hyslop (SNP), Community Council areas. Country Park. While outwith the City, it falls our newsletter. are the public’s key representatives in planning at Margo MacDonald (Independent) Ian McKee (SNP), within the Fairmilehead planning area. a local level. Your Council also has close contacts Shirley-Anne Somerville (SNP) It is just one of the large-scale planning The Community Council held its proposals examined by your Council in with Lothian and Borders Police, with the local Correspondence to: Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP The applicants, who operate a number of first meeting in January 2002, the last year, giving residents a chance Community Beat Officer Kenny Welsh reporting bars, brasseries and restaurants , intended and has gone from strength to to express their views with City Councillors to its meetings. to demolish the existing building, shown strength. We are here to serve present. LOTHIAN AND BORDERS POLICE: on a map of 1855 as being a smiddy, and the people of Fairmilehead and try to make the area a cleaner, Wide ranging Community Beat Officer: PC 3279A Kenny Welsh 441 1518 build a modern brasserie. The application safer and greener place for you to [email protected] Green Belt was later withdrawn As well as operating its very direct and productive reside and work in. Oxgangs Station: 441 1518. Force Control Room (non emergencies): link with the City Council, Fairmilehead Your Community Council unanimously “In our opinion, the proposed building did 311 3131. Emergencies: 999 As you will see on the other pages Community Council is represented on the decided to oppose the application for not fit in with the surrounding area, was of we work with the local politicians Pentland Neighbourhood Partnership. This is the outline planning permission for the project, unsuitable materials and was in the Green and the City of Edinburgh Council largest of 12 such Partnerships within Edinburgh, made to Midlothian Council. Belt, which restricted development,” said OTHER USEFUL NUMBERS: to achieve these aims. representing a population of more than 48,000 Fairmilehead Vice-Chair Louise Maguire. in the local authority wards of Pentland Hills and NHS 24: 08454 24 24 24 The development envisaged is a 250-bed You will be very welcome to Colinton/Fairmilehead. hotel with extensive conference and leisure More recently your Community Council has Clarence: 0800 23 23 23 [email protected] facilities, 14 hotel apartments, 22 lodges, been awaiting news of the Hunter’s Tryst come along to our meetings to let us know what you think about Consisting of City and Community Councillors, it (Clarence enables you to report a wide range of faults and hazards a country club and 400 parking bays School site where the Dunedin Canmore deals with a wide range of local issues such as concerning road, cycleway, footpath, and lighting problems, such as: for the hotel to be built in the grounds Housing Association have expressed an local issues. street cleaning, urban parks, libraries and road pot holes, faulty streetlights, traffic light problems, blocked road drains, of the house. interest in building homes maintenance. Fairmilehead Community Council damage to bus shelters, etc). As well as being in Pentland Hills Regional members also sit on its sub-groups including the Council Contact Centre 200 2323 Funding Panel. Park, an area designated as of “great South West Neighbourhood Office, 527 3800 landscape value”, this is also within the WHERE AND WHEN WE MEET: Fairmilehead Community Councillors are on Westside Plaza, Edinburgh EH14 2ST Hillend Country Park. Edinburgh Civic Forum and the Pentlands Regional [email protected] Fairmilehead Community Council meets on the first Tuesday Park Consultative Forum and can take residents’ (Covers both Pentlands and South West Neighbourhood Worried about visual and other impacts of every month except July and August. Meetings take place in views to these organisations. And there is also a partnership areas). on this area, your Community Council Fairmilehead Parish Church, starting at 7 pm. reminded the planning authority that member on the City Licensing Forum. Designed locally by David Flockhart Limited 0131 666 2235. FCC cover logo by Bethany Braidwood (age 14). the Pentland Hills Regional Park recently 4- Fairmilehead News Duck Race Fun Day’s a Winner! A HIGHLY Commended placing in this year’s Standard James Gow, Margaret Walker and Life Achievement Awards is just the latest success of Paul De Luca, of Buckstone two very lively groups of young people who work with Youth Club and Project, at the award Fairmilehead Community Council to make our area a ceremony with City Councillor better place. Marilyne MacLaren and radio presenter Grant Stott Buckstone Youth Club and Buckstone Youth Project won this award in the Outstanding Achievement category for their Family Fun Day and Sponsored Duck Race held in the Braidburn Valley Park earlier in the year when they raised over £1,000. range of activities for youngsters between the as Lazerquest, ten-pin bowling and the ages of five and 16. pantomime at the Kings Theatre. Margaret Walker, leading light of the Club Thursday evenings also feature discussions on Buckstone Youth Club meets every Monday and Project, said: “With little city council Two youth workers and a management such topics as asylum seekers and refugees, evening in school term time and has 80 funding, the young people are instrumental in committee run the Club and 12 regular and advice on smoking, drugs, alcohol and members in the five to seven age group. local fundraising and enjoy doing something volunteer helpers who attend every week are how to play a positive part in the community. to keep their club going.” given the chance to train in various aspects of Trips with the Project have taken youngsters Bucktone Dynamic Youth youth work. to the Highlands and the adventure activities youngsters “We consult regularly with Fairmilehead at the Nethybridge outdoor centre. Its sessions include crafts, games, baking, The Youth Project, with similar adult support, enjoying Community Council and the Buckstone singing and dancing, and the Club has meets on Thursdays (7 – 9pm), caters for S1 outdoor Association who help us to access funding One of the Project’s members, James Gow, recently introduced Dynamic Youth Awards, to S6, and has 25 members. They provide adventure and support,” she added. is a co-opted member of Fairmilehead giving certificates