Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
GORGIE DALRY GAZETTE JULY 2007
I have kept in close contact with the re-development plans for Morrison Street, Haymarket, currently a car park, and recently met the Developers, Architects and Surveyors to find out more about the latest plan. I know that people have concerns about the plans already approved particularly the north-west aspect which overlooks the Dalry colonies.
The new plans are an improvement on the plans approved last year. The architect has recognised that this is a significant site – a real gateway to the city. But it has to fit with what residents want.
The developers have now opened a consultation centre on the site which has plans and information and asks for your views via a questionnaire. Anyone who has a concern or interest in the development at Haymarket should go and look at the plans. The plans have not yet been submitted to the Council and at the time of my meeting many aspects to the design of the hotels and other buildings were to be finalised.
The plan for this site at Haymarket is for hotels, office and shops which could bring more jobs and this would be welcome. The plan does not include any housing development although there will be new housing on the old Scottish and Newcastle site.
Gordon Brown became our new Prime Minister last month and he announced that meeting Britain’s housing needs will be one of his top priorities. In the last five years, housing has become a much more important issue and many people are concerned about being able to afford to buy or rent a home. There simply aren’t enough houses for the number of people setting up homes. Last year 160,000 houses were built in Britain, well short of the 223,000 we estimate are needed each year. I was asked by Gordon Brown to take over the job as Chancellor of the Exchequer and looking at measures to tackle the crisis in housing will be certainly be one of my priorities.
Please write to me with your views on the Haymarket Development or about any other concerns you have. I’d be very pleased to hear from you.
