Committee
Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill Committee, 02 Nov 2004
02 Nov 2004 · S2 · Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill Committee
Item of business
Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill: Preliminary Stage
My point follows on from Rob Gibson's. There are discrepancies between the route as it is proposed and what happens in future. Perhaps I am extending beyond my remit, but when I look at the map of the route I am conscious that the area of most uncertainty is the Roseburn corridor. I do not know whether it is within your remit to comment on the fact that one of the objections that we have received refers to the possible usage of that corridor by tramline 2 vehicles for maintenance, laying-up, or whatever. To remove some of the uncertainties, the Roseburn corridor could perhaps be removed altogether, leaving tramline 2 to service the Haymarket route with tramline 1 stopping at Granton and going back. It seems to me that there is not a great population between the two ends of the Roseburn corridor that would use the tramline. I realise that I might be slightly out of bounds—
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
Agenda item 2 is consideration of a late objection. Members have a paper on the matter. We must first consider the reason for the lateness of the objection, ...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Given the confusion that surrounds some elements of the route, it is understandable that Ms Todd either misinterpreted the information or was not fully infor...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I agree.
The Convener:
Lab
So members are happy to allow the objection as a late objection.Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
Lab
I now ask members to give preliminary consideration to the objection. Do members agree that the objection should go to the consideration stage for substantiv...
The Convener:
Lab
The objection has been accepted and will be considered at the consideration stage.Agenda item 3 is to take oral evidence on the adequacy of the accompanying ...
Barry Cross (City of Edinburgh Council):
We do not have opening statements, madam.
The Convener:
Lab
Excellent. You can come back.
Barry Cross:
We would rather not.
The Convener:
Lab
That saves us time, for which I am grateful.I will kick off with a technical question on planning approval, so please bear with me. I understand that section...
Angus Walker (Bircham Dyson Bell):
That is right.
The Convener:
Lab
You know what I am talking about, which is good.I understand that that means that planning permission will be granted automatically for development that is a...
Angus Walker:
That is not quite the case.
The Convener:
Lab
Will you explain how the system works? What will be approved through the bill and what will go through the normal planning process?
Angus Walker:
As you say, section 70 is concerned with planning. By virtue of the permitted development order to which you referred, planning permission will be deemed to ...
The Convener:
Lab
Take me, as a layperson, through the situation if the bill is passed. We have indicative drawings of where the tram stops will be. If we pass the bill, we wi...
Angus Walker:
Yes, more or less. Under the order, the only reasons that the planning authority can give for refusing or putting conditions on the subsequent approval is if...
The Convener:
Lab
What are the limits of deviation that you mentioned?
Angus Walker:
They are defined in section 2. In essence, they are the perimeter of the area within which the works can take place. Although lines have been drawn on the pl...
The Convener:
Lab
So we would be agreeing not only the route, but the margins of error.
Angus Walker:
In a way, yes.
The Convener:
Lab
That is helpful to know.For the tramline that we saw in Nottingham, some of the wires are attached to buildings. Under the order, are such wires subject to t...
Angus Walker:
They are a prior approval development. Section 15 gives the power to attach equipment to buildings and section 70(4)(b) refers specifically to the issue. The...
The Convener:
Lab
That clarity is helpful.As I said, all the tram stop locations on the maps with which we have been supplied are indicative. What discussions have you had wit...
Angus Walker:
Although, technically, the bill will allow the stops to be put anywhere, the design of the tram system is pretty much predicated on certain stop locations—th...
Barry Cross:
The issue of stop locations has exercised the City of Edinburgh Council, particularly the planning authority part, because tram stops need to relate to the u...
Angus Walker:
The design of the stops has been encapsulated in a document called the design manual. Although it is not one of the official accompanying documents, the coun...
The Convener:
Lab
The committee already has copies of that document. Although it is not one of the official accompanying documents, it is of interest to us.
Phil Gallie:
Con
It has been indicated that a considerable number of planning applications will have to be made during the course of construction. Given the importance of ens...
Angus Walker:
As I hoped that I had explained, the applications will not be full planning applications; they are a bit like reserved matters, if you know anything about pl...