PARKING CHARGES IN THE PENTLANDS
The Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee (PHRP) should be in no doubt about the strength of local feeling towards the scale of car parking charges being considered for across the Pentland Hills, and affecting Harlaw, Threipmuir, Bonaly and Flotterstone.
The issue was aired at length at Balerno Community Council’s (BCC) January 8 meeting.
The PHRP decision to charge was taken several years ago, and the proposed charges are to be considered by PHRP at its meeting on 14 January.
A six month trial, during which drivers were asked for a voluntary contribution, raised £35,057, but only 22 per cent of visitors paid.
BCC heard that the charges, if introduced, would be ringfenced to support the Pentland Hills Ranger Service, maintain public toilets and keep car parks and infrastructure in top condition.
Under the proposals, a season ticket is proposed for £110 - £55 for six months - but there would only be 800 season tickets due to what the City Council say are administration charges, but permit holders are not guaranteed a space at any venue.
The basic two hour charge is £2.50 and it will cost £5 a day (6am to 10pm), £10 for a vehicle parked overnight and £20 for a motorhome parked overnight.
Traffic orders have to be approved by the council before the charges can be introduced, but it is understood that they could be in place by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
BCC heard from a member of the public that practice varied across Scotland, but that some similar car parks remained free and others did not have a scale of charges as high as those proposed.
Richard Henderson, chairman of BCC, stressed the need for “a safe route” from Balerno to the hills and indicated that he could see nothing in the report going to the PHRP committee about improving public transport access to the parks.
He noted that funds collected through charging could only be spent within the park area, meaning that money from parking charges could not be allocated towards creation of the safe route to the Pentlands.
He suggested that the community might consider that to be untenable.
The City Council would need to develop a more strategic view and approach.
BALERNO: LOCAL PLACE PLAN
The January meeting of Balerno Community Council (BCC) considered progress towards development of a Local Place Plan for Balerno.
The draft agenda highlighted both how the Council proposed to handle the process in general, and separately the development of a questionnaire as part of a process of public consultation.
BCC agreed to establish a small group to steer the process and also approved a draft questionnaire subject to some further amendments.
The group will include a member of the public who offered their services at the meeting.
A number of members of the public attended the meeting seeking clarity over proposed plans to build a church on land opposite Balerno High School, prompting extensive discussion on a number of issues.
It was emphasised that at present there was no active planning or other process in front of the City of Edinburgh Council concerning the land in question.
It was noted that BCC, having met twice with the church in question at their request, might wish to seek a further update.
The Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee (PHRP) should be in no doubt about the strength of local feeling towards the scale of car parking charges being considered for across the Pentland Hills, and affecting Harlaw, Threipmuir, Bonaly and Flotterstone.
The issue was aired at length at Balerno Community Council’s (BCC) January 8 meeting.
The PHRP decision to charge was taken several years ago, and the proposed charges are to be considered by PHRP at its meeting on 14 January.
A six month trial, during which drivers were asked for a voluntary contribution, raised £35,057, but only 22 per cent of visitors paid.
BCC heard that the charges, if introduced, would be ringfenced to support the Pentland Hills Ranger Service, maintain public toilets and keep car parks and infrastructure in top condition.
Under the proposals, a season ticket is proposed for £110 - £55 for six months - but there would only be 800 season tickets due to what the City Council say are administration charges, but permit holders are not guaranteed a space at any venue.
The basic two hour charge is £2.50 and it will cost £5 a day (6am to 10pm), £10 for a vehicle parked overnight and £20 for a motorhome parked overnight.
Traffic orders have to be approved by the council before the charges can be introduced, but it is understood that they could be in place by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
BCC heard from a member of the public that practice varied across Scotland, but that some similar car parks remained free and others did not have a scale of charges as high as those proposed.
Richard Henderson, chairman of BCC, stressed the need for “a safe route” from Balerno to the hills and indicated that he could see nothing in the report going to the PHRP committee about improving public transport access to the parks.
He noted that funds collected through charging could only be spent within the park area, meaning that money from parking charges could not be allocated towards creation of the safe route to the Pentlands.
He suggested that the community might consider that to be untenable.
The City Council would need to develop a more strategic view and approach.
BALERNO: LOCAL PLACE PLAN
The January meeting of Balerno Community Council (BCC) considered progress towards development of a Local Place Plan for Balerno.
The draft agenda highlighted both how the Council proposed to handle the process in general, and separately the development of a questionnaire as part of a process of public consultation.
BCC agreed to establish a small group to steer the process and also approved a draft questionnaire subject to some further amendments.
The group will include a member of the public who offered their services at the meeting.
A number of members of the public attended the meeting seeking clarity over proposed plans to build a church on land opposite Balerno High School, prompting extensive discussion on a number of issues.
It was emphasised that at present there was no active planning or other process in front of the City of Edinburgh Council concerning the land in question.
It was noted that BCC, having met twice with the church in question at their request, might wish to seek a further update.
