Developer's demise: The collapse of the plans is a serious blow

The collapse of Ailsa Investment's plans to build nearly 260 homes in Edinburgh is without doubt a serious blow. It also serves as a reminder of events just over a year ago, when building sites across the Capital ground to a shuddering halt.

Then, Mountgrange, the company behind 300 million regeneration plans for the Old Town, became the latest in a long line of big names to fail. But today, alongside this latest indicator of the continuing fragility of the economy, there are also encouraging signs to be found.

As we also report, homes are selling more quickly, with the average residential property going within three months – far faster than either last month or this time last year.

The prices they fetch are heading up too, although only marginally.

So while there is as yet no clear trend to allow us to look ahead with total confidence, there are grounds for guarded optimism.

What happens next at the Trinity site being vacated by Ailsa Investments will be another test of our progress. Everyone hopes that one of the 50 notes of interest in the land turns into a productive project and vital new investment for the city.

Something to hide?

CLAIMS by an African minister of bullying and intimidation by fellow churchmen are rightly being examined by his employers.

But where Edinburgh University has gone wrong is in suspending Dr Daryl Balia for speaking out to the Evening News. The South African Methodist has been accused of bringing the university and the Church of Scotland into disrepute.

Until Dr Balia's claims are properly investigated it won't be clear if he was right to complain of harassment while organising this year's conference to mark the centenary of the 1910 World Missionary Conference.

His complaints include very serious accusations that "people of colour were treated as second class".

Experience has shown over and over again that such concerns need to be aired in the open. Attempts to gag whistleblowers just stifle the truth and allow secret prejudices and wrongdoing to fester.

So the university – and the Kirk – must let Dr Balia back to work as they investigate his claims properly. Or do they have something to hide?