Dawe harbours fresh hope with new talks over Leith development name

Published on Tuesday 17 February 2009 09:13

FRESH talks are set to be held in a bid to preserve the name Leith in the multi-billion pound docks development.

Thousands of residents have signed up to a campaign to retain the name Leith Docks as the main title for the development, instead of the Edinburgh Harbour branding proposed by Forth Ports.

During a meeting with city council leader Jenny Dawe last month, Forth Ports insisted it would not change its position on the name.

But in the wake of the fresh protests, Cllr Dawe said she would now have another meeting with the project leaders next week in the hope that a compromise could be found.

She said: "We are meeting with them again because I think there is a way a compromise can be reached on the Leith name being incorporated.

"They have made their position clear but perhaps they weren't aware of the strength of local feeling on the matter."

Forth Ports has applied for outline planning permission for developing the area around Ocean Terminal. The first two of nine "urban villages" will include 1870 new homes.

Environmental group Greener Leith, along with Leith Central Community Council and Leith Links Community Council, have produced a joint response to the outline planning application.

Chairman of Greener Leith, Alastair Tibbitt, said: "We agree with pretty much everybody else in Leith that the rebranding would swipe away the identity of Leith, alienate the locals and do little to foster any future sense of place.

"It is ironic that Forth Ports were claiming to share local residents' desire to put Leith on the map. It is difficult to see how this will be achieved without a name which includes the word 'Leith'."

He added: "We would be delighted if they would come up with a better name but ultimately we know they can call it what they want because they own the land."

Leith councillor Gordon Munro also believes the name Leith Docks should be retained because the port is "internationally known and renowned, and doesn't need to be embellished".

He added: "I am hopeful that Forth Ports will compromise because I think once they realise that they have alienated not just the community of Leith, but Leithers elsewhere too, they will have a rethink on this.

"I feel that a compromise should be made and Forth Ports should be willing to make that compromise to carry the local community with them."

He added: "I do not think that the local community would be interested in the development if they felt that their local identity had been ignored."

However, Forth Ports has said there was a misunderstanding regarding the naming of the development and that Leith Docks would remain as the umbrella name for the overall project.

Charles Hammond, group chief executive, said: "The name Edinburgh Harbour was chosen for this area of Leith Docks, which will include a cruise ship terminal, as it highlights the fact that Leith is the gateway into Scotland's capital."