A busy day (largely in Edinburgh) and having issued a news release about the Botanic Gardens concerns (pasted below), I was interviewed by both Radio Tay and Wave 102 (the latter whilst on a train to Edinburgh!) about the situation. The matter is also covered in today's Courier and Evening Telegraph.The meetings in Edinburgh were with my TACTRAN hat on - along with my Regional Transport Partnership Chair colleagues from across Scotland, we met firstly with COSLA and thereafter with John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth, and Stewart Stevenson, the Transport Minister.
On my way back tonight, admired the 'other' West End Christmas lights at West Port (see above right). Clearly, the City Council got a job lot of similar Christmas lights sets, but attractive nonetheless!
Tonight sees the last monthly meeting of West End Community Council of 2007.
NEWS RELEASE ON BOTANIC GARDENS :West End City Councillor Fraser Macpherson said that he was “gravely concerned” by the unwillingness of the University of Dundee to deny speculation that it is discussing the sale of part of the Botanic Gardens grounds to a local property developer.
“I have no doubt that the whole local community would strongly oppose the building of houses on any part of the Botanic Gardens ground. It would have been helpful for the University to confirm that it would not contenance sellling any part of its own ground at the Botanics to a developer, but unfortunately it has not given
such an assurance thus far,” said Cllr Macpherson.
“Any attempt to build housing on grounds earmarked as open space in the Local Plan Review 2005 would fly in the face of adopted local planning policy. The gardens clearly fall under the category of “protected open space” in terms of Policy 66 of the Local Plan Review.
“I was present at the very well attended Friends of the Botanic Gardens public meeting at the end of November and what was extremely clear from that was the needs for all parties – the University, Friends of the Botanic Gardens and others – to work together to ensure a sustainable future for the Botanic Gardens. I call on the University to give a firm commitment that it will not sell off Botanic Gardens ground to any developer,” he concluded.