Committee
City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill Committee 26 March 2014
26 Mar 2014 · S4 · City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill Committee
Item of business
City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill: Consideration Stage
Gillian Dunn
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Okay. I just want to say that it is against that background of intimidation, bullying and general undermining that we speak today.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Siobhan McMahon)
Lab
Good morning, and welcome to the fourth meeting in 2014 of the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill Committee. I remind members, witnesses and th...
Archie Burns
The clerk told us that more than one person could speak on each issue. Will you clarify the position?
The Convener
Lab
We prefer that only one person speaks to an issue.
Archie Burns
That is a preference rather than an instruction.
The Convener
Lab
If you have an additional point to make that has not been raised, I will allow time for that, but in order that we get through all the evidence, I ask that y...
Jennifer Peters
I am here to represent the 303 formal objectors to the private bill who live around the park and who benefit from its existence. There are many more who obje...
The Convener
Lab
Thank you. I ask Gillian Dunn to make her introductory remarks.
Gillian Dunn
Good morning. I am the lead objector for group 4. I am a Portobello resident and my teenage son attends Portobello high school. I am also a member of the sch...
The Convener
Lab
Sorry, but may I interrupt you there? I really do not think that that is appropriate. It is not in our remit—
Gillian Dunn
Okay. I just want to say that it is against that background of intimidation, bullying and general undermining that we speak today.
The Convener
Lab
That is fine. Thank you.I invite the promoter to make any opening remarks.
Billy MacIntyre (City of Edinburgh Council)
Good morning, convener. You introduced us, so I will not take up time doing that again. First, I thank the committee for giving us the opportunity to attend ...
The Convener
Lab
Thank you. We move to the first category of objections. I invite the spokesperson for group 2 to speak to the first set of issues: the loss of amenity and us...
Jennifer Peters
The City of Edinburgh Council’s open space action plan, which supports its open space strategy, defines Portobello park as“Large open space not ... meeting s...
The Convener
Lab
Thank you. I invite someone from group 4 to cover any points that have not already been addressed.
Stephen Carr
Good morning. My name is Stephen Carr and I have lived in Portobello, about a mile from the park, for five years. I will cover objections concerning the loss...
The Convener
Lab
Thank you, Mr Carr. I now invite a spokesperson from group 2 to speak on the second set of issues, which is the social, environmental and financial impact.
Gillian Dunn
Excuse me, but Dr McCulloch would like to speak on the health issues. We were told that that would be acceptable, if we are still on category 1.
The Convener
Lab
Yes. I will allow him in, but I refer you back to what I said, which was to invite “a spokesperson from group 4”—one spokesperson.
Gillian Dunn
So—
The Convener
Lab
I said“I now invite a spokesperson from group 4”—which is your group—to cover any points that were not already addressed, which is when Mr Carr spoke. “A spo...
Dr Gordon McCulloch
I will try to be concise. My name is Gordon McCulloch, and until recently I was a general practitioner in Portobello where, for 25 years, I cared for 5,000 p...
The Convener
Lab
I am sorry. Can I interrupt? Just speak on Portobello park, please. You are obviously making an interesting point, but you should speak specifically on the p...
Dr McCulloch
I am certainly going to come to that.
The Convener
Lab
I would like you to come to it now, please.
Dr McCulloch
I am trying to make the point. Point 1 is that green space is good for health and destruction of green space is bad for health. Am I allowed to make that point?
The Convener
Lab
You can make the point, but you do not need to talk about the 1800s all the way through to now to make it.
Dr McCulloch
I am sorry, but I am talking about the human intuition of green space, which I think is a reasonable point.
The Convener
Lab
It is if you can be concise.
Dr McCulloch
I am now going to come on to a summary of my submission.