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Balerno Community Council (BCC) introduced their place plan initiative at the September Farmers Market in Balerno and locals were responsive. Many stopped at the stand to hear more from BCC members who were led by Mark Galloway. Below are some of the pictures from the event and the market as a whole.     
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Balerno Community Council was in touch with the City Council on 21 July about the City of Edinburgh Council's (ECC) Fireworks Control Zone consultation.
The city council’s Culture and Communities committee approved its scheme on 21 August. A significant proportion of the south and west side of Balerno - more than in 2024 - is likely to be included in a control zone and therefore subject to restrictions breach of which could carry criminal penalties. In commenting on the proposed scheme on 21 July Balerno Community Council (BCC) suggested that the identification of areas to be covered was arbitrary. In reported and televised comments carried on news bullletins on 9 September, Edinburgh Council conceded, in effect, that the identification of Fireworks Control Zones across Edinburgh was indeed arbitrary. It is very unusual for any public official to make such an admission, and it would be even more surprising if a public body were to admit to acting arbitrarily in creating potential criminal liability for members of the public. Such an admission tends, at the least, to undermine such confidence as there might be in the scheme. BCC think that CEC must therefore modify the scheme insofar as it relates to Balerno. Balerno Community Council (BCC) are developing a Local Place Plan for Balerno, and they are asking for your help.
We’ll be at the Farmers Market this Saturday, 13 September, and we’d like to hear your views. What is a local place plan? Simply, it is so communities can develop a specific, local vision for their area's development and future use of land. That’s really important because Edinburgh Council would have to take a Balerno Local Place Plan into account when developing its own development plan. The plan has to show that you, the local residents, have been involved in its preparation and a Local Place Plan can help shape the future physical environment, address local needs, and promote community engagement in planning decisions. In doing that, it helps foster an even stronger sense of place and spirit. So please, if you’re at the market on Saturday do call at BCC’s stall for a chat. Watch this page also for updates on the process as it develops. Agenda for Meeting of the Balerno Community Council to be held at Balerno Community Centre on Thursday 4th September 2025 at 7.00pm
Welcome and introductions Order of Business Approve draft agenda Declarations of Interest Minutes Draft minutes of August 2025 monthly meeting to follow Annex item 4.1 Public questions Business items Current issues, including
Planning, including Annex 8 TPO at 1 Ravelrig Hill pp16 and 17 attached Information and discussion Environment, including stopped up lane at Ladycroft 7.10 below Community Engagement, including Local Place Plan Feather banner See website for Our Village, Our Community (2019) Information and discussion Local Interest Groups An opportunity for local groups and nominated representative to raise issues, including BVT – Update, Police Station & Community Centre Information Finance Report Police issues Councillors & Office Bearers Reports Communications Annex Item 12 AOCB Date of next scheduled meeting – 2 October Three highly-topical issues are high on the agenda for the next meeting of the Balerno Community Council (BCC) in the Community Centre in Main Steeet at 7pm on Thursday, parking charges at Harlaw, the proposal to have a fireworks control zone over the whole of Balerno and also the opening of the Green Bridge.
Richard Henderson, BCC chairman said: “While there was a public consultation in 2020, so far as we are aware there has been no follow up consultation on any proposed charging scheme for parking at Harlaw. It is important to remember that, unlike other Pentland Hills Regional Park access car parks, neither Harlaw nor Threipmuir car parks are accessible by public transport, meaning that relatively short visits as in the case of dog walking or running are effectively discouraged if the only practicable access is by car. We need more information from City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) as to just what in particular they intend in developing a charging regime, and what steps they will take to ensure that the community can be fully involved. Apart from making that clear to CEC, BCC’s aim now should be to formulate some suggestions to CEC as to how the city might better engage with the community on this issue.” Fireworks Control Zone: BCC recognises that fireworks control is a difficult and sensitive issue. BCC wrote to CEC in response to CEC’s disappointing consultation on this matter, setting out concerns especially about creating a restricted zone which effectively splits a community. Our comments were picked up in the September issue of the Currie & Balerno News, and the council will now be considering options for further response. The Green Bridge: The Bridge is now open again but there are one or two points to be covered before completion, including options for the renewal of related paths in the vicinity, and also the connection from the bridge into the Malleny Estate. Roundabout at the entrance to the Main Street: We listened to a proposal to make the roundabout a real entry to the Main Street, as has happened in towns around Britain, and we will be considering our options as regards this issue. Local place plan:: this is a key issue moving forward and we will look to discuss that at our meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend. . |
