Letter: Grand Plans are of no use to Edinburgh

You report on council leader Jenny Dawe's "determined" enthusiasm for a wholesale makeover of Edinburgh City Centre, as recommended by a firm of Danish architects (17 February).

Once again a local politician seems to be mesmerised by the prospect of a Grand Plan, while apparently being blind to the potential for less glamorous - and probably less expensive - "bread and butter" improvements to the city's public realm.

I'm not just talking about repairs to roads and pavements.

I'm talking about other relatively simple fixes which would make a dramatic difference to the aesthetics of the capital's streetscapes - like some sort of consistency in the quality and design of street lighting, rather than the random mix of styles that prevails even in the heart of a so-called world heritage site.

Or ergonomic, user-friendly bus shelters, where it's actually possible to read the timetable after dark without needing a torch.

Or a thorough rationalising of the absurd excess of signage that blights residential streets across the city, well beyond where the tourists roam.

(The council proposes to "de-clutter" major thoroughfares, but these are the same people who just a couple of years ago virtually doubled the number of signs in my street: there are now 18 parking-related sign poles over a stretch of just 150 metres.)

Improvements in any one of these areas would be relatively easy and relatively cheap. They would probably be quietly welcomed by Edinburgh residents, who have perhaps grown too used to the casual, incremental uglification of their city over the past 15 years.

But then again, I suppose taking down some sign poles wouldn't get Councillor Dawe her name in the papers.

David Jackson Young

India Street

Edinburgh

In response to your article, "Heart of the Capital to undergo major surgery" (17 February), it is welcome that the council is looking to improve the economic and social vitality of our city centre, although vested interests who believe car parking is the best use of world heritage sites will need to be taken on.

Far more people access our city centres by walking, cycling and public transport than by the car.

Edinburgh has fewer pedestrianised streets than most other European capitals and people endure air and noise pollution that exceeds legal limits.

Provision of good quality public space attracts more people, both tourists and residents, to the city centre, increases footfall for local shops and businesses and helps improve public health.

There are cheap, sensible steps the council can take to tidy and de-clutter the city centre and these must be the first priority.

Keith Irving

Living Streets Scotland

Rose Street

Edinburgh

Ian Ross (Letters, 17 February) is spot on to ask the fundamental question of whether it is desirable for Edinburgh's population to grow.

There are many arguments on both sides but I reach a different conclusion from that of Mr Ross.

Here are three of the reasons: Edinburgh is hugely popular as an attractive place to live. Growth would be organic rather than artificial.

That popularity creates a demand which is a contributory reason for the price of housing being so high.

That many of our people, especially our young people, have to move well away from the city to find affordable housing is unfortunate.

It adds to commuting pressures and detracts from quality of life for many involved. Thirdly, cities are generally more efficient, both economically and environmentally.

(Cllr) Cameron Rose

City Chambers

Edinburgh

As national director of the Royal Town Planning Institute in Scotland, Craig McLaren (Letters, 15 February) should be as aware as anyone that the planning departments of many Scottish councils are among the worst offenders in ignoring national planning guidelines, or indeed sometimes their own, when it suits their mindset.

Scotland does indeed have a similar problem to England when it comes to new build in the countryside, with many rural communities at loggerheads with urbanite planners.

No matter what "position of power" a developer or landowner might try to get on a community council (Roy Turnbull's letter, 17 February), for them to vote on their own scheme or lobby fellow councillors would presumably be as illegal under the Councillor's Code of Conduct as it is now for their local council counterparts.

Hector MacLean

Balnaboth

Kirriemuir, Angus