May 2025 news from Councillor Neil Ross

Pentland Terrace 5G mast refused

The Council has refused the application for a 5G mast on Pentland Terrace adjacent to Braidburn Valley Park as the equipment would reduce the pavement width to only 1.3m, which is contrary to footway width requirements. The decision noted that the presence of trees would assist in obscuring the mast from wider view and minimise the visual impact on the surrounding area. The applicant has until 17 July to appeal the decision to the Scottish Government. Details of the decision can be accessed here under reference 25/01062/TELE.

Greenbank/Meadows & Comiston Road cycle schemes

The Council has published the full revised plans for the Greenbank/Meadows and Comiston Road cycle schemes on its website. I have previously highlighted the Greenbank/Meadows scheme plans but the Comiston Road plans show the changes proposed for the junctions with Braid Hills Road and Comiston Springs Avenue (misnamed Comiston Street). A description of the changes is given here and the individual scheme designs are available here.

Eric Liddell Community Update

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal recently visited The Eric Liddell Community for the first time in her new role as their Royal Patron. Her visit also marked the arrival of the highly anticipated Eric Liddell Exhibition commemorating the life and achievements of Eric Liddell. The annual Spring Fair and Plant Sale is on Saturday 10 May. More details of this and other events are available here.

Morningside Road pavement extension - final call for comments

Thanks to everyone who has provided comments on the Morningside Road pavement extension plans which I have fed back to the Council’s project officer. He tells me he is in the process of finalising the documentation for the necessary statutory order process and so is approaching the end point for high-level feedback. Please let me know if you would like to highlight any concerns. The plans are available to view here. 

How to organise a Play Street event

I recently assisted local residents to organise a play street event on Craiglea Drive. After consultation with neighbours, a small section of the road was closed for three hours last Sunday afternoon and lots of local children enjoyed playing in the sun on their street. The Council is happy to facilitate play street events in public spaces without cost so long as its guidance and procedures are followed. More information is available here. Let me know if you would like any assistance.

Edinburgh by numbers

The 2024 edition of a collection of statistical data on Edinburgh has recently been published by the Council. It covers our population, economy, tourism, education, environment, housing and travel and is available here.

Garden Waste permits

Registration for garden waste collection permits is open till 30 May 2025 and can be accessed here. If you pay by direct debit, you do not need to register again. The Council will email to confirm the automatic renewal of your permit.