Community aims and objectives
As a result of a number of public meetings and investigations by focus groups, the following issues were raised by local residents and businesses as being necessary to strengthen the mix of community and commercial facilities in the area to ensure a vibrant sustainable future for the area.
- Increased mixed affordable housing with facilities for families, young people, old people, live/work spaces etc., designed for low energy use and sustainable urban living
- Provision for a range of local shops which facilitate a mix of residents and visitors
- Improved open space provision, pedestrian networks and communal children’s playspaces
- Affordable artists studios, workshops and small business units
- Facilities for the homeless population
- Indoor market facilities
- Community art centre
- Youth theatre
- Public toilets
More specifically there was strong support for:
- Redevelopment of the New Street Bus Depot site to be designed to satisfy existing economic, environmental, and social demands, and to be sustain ably designed. Open spaces and foot paths to be incorporated and the housing should be affordable and predominantly 2 and 3 bedroom to encourage families to return to the area.
- Cranston Street to be closed to traffic and re-paved for pedestrian use.
- Market Street and the South part of New Street to be predominantly for pedestrian/cycle use as indicated in the Waverley Valley Strategy,
- Existing buildings on Market Street to be retained and refurbished to create an indoor/outdoor market shopping street. We believe this will add more character to the area and to the visitor experience than a street of anodyne new buildings dedicated to international commerce, which visitors to the city can see anywhere in the world.
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A new square with a genuine civic function to be created at the proposed new entrance to Waverley Station, with Cranston Street and a new stair from Jeffrey Street providing direct pedestrian links to the Canongate.
- Improvements to lighting and pedestrian environment at the Railway underpass at the junction of New Street and Calton Road, and under North Bridge.
- No existing buildings to be demolished unless it can be clearly demonstrated that they are beyond repair or un-lettable, whether or not they are listed. They contain a lot of embodied energy, as well as contributing to the general character of the area.
- Sound residential buildings where people can/do live should not be demolished.
- Re-cycling and household waste facilities to be provided, in the context of an overall strategy for the area.
- Improved pedestrian links across the Waverley Valley connecting the Canongate with Princess St, Leith St, and Regent Terrace
With these aims and objectives in mind we have developed a strategy for the regeneration of the Canongate which accords with the current Development Plan, the World Heritage Management Plan, the Community Plan and Historic Scotland’s Memorandum of Guidance. These alternatives would have long term benefits for the community by creating a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable development for the area. Most importantly this plan is based on the aspirations and needs which the existing community have identified.