Scottish Ministers have given approval for a battery storage site less than 100m from a school campus, despite safety concerns.
The site is close to the Dalkeith campus which has around 2,500 children and young people on its roll.
There was no mention, according to a report in The Edinburgh Reporter, of fire risks or the proximity of the school in the decision.
A report to Midlothian councillors said: “Minsters are satisfied that landscape and visual impacts, impacts on traffic, impacts from noise, coal mining legacy issues, decommissioning and pollution prevention can all be mitigated via the use of conditions.”
Ministers also said that the benefits of the new site would be vital to meeting net zero targets.
Of course, we have a battery farm proposed for Long Dalmahoy Road – work has already started to create the site at the junction with Ravelrig Road - and BCC are writing to Gordon Macdonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, both to ask for an update on plans for the Balerno site and also to raise safety concerns.
SEE IMAGE BELOW
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Christmas may seem like a long way away, however, Balerno Community Council (BCC) are already considering their plans to celebrate.
Uppermost in their talks is the condition of the current lights and Ian Hynd reported to the June meeting that those have seen better days. Therefore, BBC will be looking for funding to replace elements.
If you know of any organisation or individual who would be keen to support this annual event then please get in touch.
UPDATES: Other notes from the meeting. BCC are reinstating a planning sub-committee which will have the specific remit of reviewing planning applications and how they affect the area. This is considered a key role as we move forward with Balerno a prime site for housing developers, and as we await the development of a new local development plan already called CityPlan2040 by CEC.
The Balerno Pathways project on the Green Bridge is progressing, slowly, and we await an update from City of Edinburgh Council to take us another step of the way.
BCC are in touch with the council as regards the treatment of the roads in Balerno during a cold snap and we hope to arrange an early meeting with a representative to discuss the issue which was a major talking point last winter.
Balerno Village Trust are still in talks with Police Scotland over the acquisition of the police station in the village and they hope to report on further progress towards creating a community hub at our next meeting in July.
Unfortunately, local city councillors were unable to attend the June meeting so therefore there are no reports.
Finally, BCC will start working for production of a Local Place Plan, with the first step being to update ‘Our Village, Our Community’, our local plan published in 2019, which will act as a valuable tool going forward.
PARKING: MAIN STREET: Councillor Graeme Bruce has passed on the complaint from a constituent over parking in the Main Street to the council’s Enforcement Contractor with a request that they make more frequent visits to the area.
Constituents can also submit enforcement requests using the following link: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking/reporting-vehicles-parked-illegally/1
Frequent reports will highlight to contractors that this is a problem area which requires more regular enforcement, however, the council stress that parking attendants may not be able to attend each time a report is submitted.
You can contact the council on [email protected]
RBS MOBILE BANK: CEC have confirmed through our local city councillors that they do not see any problem in the Mobile Bank Van stopping in Main Street for its regular Tuesday morning visit, and BCC will be investigating relocating the van back to that stance as soon as possible.
The site is close to the Dalkeith campus which has around 2,500 children and young people on its roll.
There was no mention, according to a report in The Edinburgh Reporter, of fire risks or the proximity of the school in the decision.
A report to Midlothian councillors said: “Minsters are satisfied that landscape and visual impacts, impacts on traffic, impacts from noise, coal mining legacy issues, decommissioning and pollution prevention can all be mitigated via the use of conditions.”
Ministers also said that the benefits of the new site would be vital to meeting net zero targets.
Of course, we have a battery farm proposed for Long Dalmahoy Road – work has already started to create the site at the junction with Ravelrig Road - and BCC are writing to Gordon Macdonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, both to ask for an update on plans for the Balerno site and also to raise safety concerns.
SEE IMAGE BELOW
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Christmas may seem like a long way away, however, Balerno Community Council (BCC) are already considering their plans to celebrate.
Uppermost in their talks is the condition of the current lights and Ian Hynd reported to the June meeting that those have seen better days. Therefore, BBC will be looking for funding to replace elements.
If you know of any organisation or individual who would be keen to support this annual event then please get in touch.
UPDATES: Other notes from the meeting. BCC are reinstating a planning sub-committee which will have the specific remit of reviewing planning applications and how they affect the area. This is considered a key role as we move forward with Balerno a prime site for housing developers, and as we await the development of a new local development plan already called CityPlan2040 by CEC.
The Balerno Pathways project on the Green Bridge is progressing, slowly, and we await an update from City of Edinburgh Council to take us another step of the way.
BCC are in touch with the council as regards the treatment of the roads in Balerno during a cold snap and we hope to arrange an early meeting with a representative to discuss the issue which was a major talking point last winter.
Balerno Village Trust are still in talks with Police Scotland over the acquisition of the police station in the village and they hope to report on further progress towards creating a community hub at our next meeting in July.
Unfortunately, local city councillors were unable to attend the June meeting so therefore there are no reports.
Finally, BCC will start working for production of a Local Place Plan, with the first step being to update ‘Our Village, Our Community’, our local plan published in 2019, which will act as a valuable tool going forward.
PARKING: MAIN STREET: Councillor Graeme Bruce has passed on the complaint from a constituent over parking in the Main Street to the council’s Enforcement Contractor with a request that they make more frequent visits to the area.
Constituents can also submit enforcement requests using the following link: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking/reporting-vehicles-parked-illegally/1
Frequent reports will highlight to contractors that this is a problem area which requires more regular enforcement, however, the council stress that parking attendants may not be able to attend each time a report is submitted.
You can contact the council on [email protected]
RBS MOBILE BANK: CEC have confirmed through our local city councillors that they do not see any problem in the Mobile Bank Van stopping in Main Street for its regular Tuesday morning visit, and BCC will be investigating relocating the van back to that stance as soon as possible.
