Snail’s pace SoCo

Published on 11/07/2012 00:00

Travelling up and down the Bridges in Edinburgh on a regular basis, I am frequently reminded that “from the boardroom to the bedroom, it’s all go at SoCo”. This is the catchy acronym for the hole in the ground left by the Old Town fire late in 2002. The current developer, Whiteburn, cannot be held entirely responsible for this shameful delay, since it acquired the site as recently as 2006, but its website has contained no news of further progress for more than a year – hardly evidence that “it’s all go”.

Perhaps greater concentration on the boardroom might be in order. For such a central location, it is vital that the council uses every possible means to ensure that the SoCo project does not become yet another blot on the city’s escutcheon.

It has the potential to act as a catalyst in reversing the sad decline of the Bridges and south side area over many years.

Dave Stone

McLaren Road

Edinburgh