Fred Mackintosh objects to new housing on greenbelt farmland at Burdiehouse Lime Kilns

7.48.00pm GMT Fri 19th Feb 2010

Along with concerned local residents Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Fred Mackintosh has objected to plans by Hallam Land Management to build new homes on farmland in the greenbelt at Burdiehouse Lime Kilns. Read his email letter of objection.

From: Fred Mackintosh

Date: 19 February 2010 14:37:47 GMT

To: cameronje@halcrow.com

Cc: Mike Pringle MSP, Councillor Conor Snowden

Subject: Hallam Land Management, Burdiehouse 09/03108/PAN

__________________

Jet Cameron

Halcrow Group Ltd

16 Abercromby Place

Edinburgh

Dear Ms Cameron

I write to set out my concerns about the proposals by Hallam Land Management to develop housing on agricultural land in the greenbelt at Burdiehouse as set out in the pre-application notice 09/03108/PAN. It was useful to speak to you and your colleagues at the exhibition at St Catherine's Church Hall on Monday 15th February, but my objection to your proposal remains.

I do not accept your justification for this proposal to build houses on the greenbelt at this location. There is, in my view, no real landscape justification for breaching the existing southern boundary of the urban area along the Burdiehouse Burn at this location. I consider that the burn remains the best long term defensible boundary to the urban area and greenbelt. In addition I note that the raised city bypass overlooks the ridge south of the Lang Loan and that has to reduce its value as a natural boundary. This would support the retention of the existing green belt status of the site as determined by the Council on 28 January when the Local Plan received final approval.

I understand that local residents have concerns about site drainage and whether there is adequate detail about landscaping. I am also very concerned that by excluding the land in the gap between this site and the south west corner of the Murrays you allow the possibility of a linking development between the two. I feel that this concern is material to this application as your colleagues on Monday seemed keen to use the existence of this proposed open landscape gap to support the current proposal. I presume that if you mean that you would accept a condition that all the land in your option - other than the site currently proposed by your for housing - be left undeveloped.

Finally I would urge you to take steps that when the formal application is made information is widely disseminated perhaps with unstaffed exhibitions in the new Valley Park Community Centre in Burdiehouse, Gracemount Leisure Centre and even Liberton Kirk Halls.

Yours sincerely

Fred

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Fred Mackintosh

Scottish Liberal Democrat

Prospective Westminster Parliamentary Candidate

Edinburgh South

www.fredmackintosh.com

4 Grange Road

Edinburgh EH9 1UH

0131 662 1513

fred@edinburghsouthlibdems.org