By fwd, submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 21/01/2006 - 03:15
A group of concerned residents who considered it necessary have started a group to raise awareness of current development threats to the Canongate and Old Town.
Initial discussion with other residents and businesses in the area encouraged the group to encourage public discussions about hopes, aspirations for and current threats to the future of this World Heritage Site.
City of Edinburgh Council have closed the Royal Mile for street improvements at the same time as selling off large areas of the Canongate to 'assist' redevelopment of an 'Arts Quarter'.
The proposed 'Arts Quarter' has seen around 50 Artists/Creatives/Musicians and performers kicked out of the former Bongo Club and Out of the Blue Studios on New Street to make way for a 7 storey glass fronted Hotel with serviced appartments and Conference Centre. Other elements to the redevelopment proposals for this area include up-market retail units, an office block and luxuary flats.
Despite Heritage Bodies, local residents and voluntary organisations objecting to the creation of a huge Gap site in the area, with no formal proposals submitted, CEC consider these speculative proposals to be suitable justification to sell off Common Good Land and Demolish part of the World Heritage Site. More applications for the demolition of Listed Buildings and flats on the Royal Mile are due any day now.
Support the campagn to respect this area's historic and cultural value and ensure it remains a living city which provides opertunities for development of arts and culture by visiting www.eh8.org.uk
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