Dean Valley Regeneration Ltd is coming forward with plans for what it terms the ‘linear public park’ beside the Water of Leith between Stockbridge and Dean Bridge.
The picturesque area in question includes the publicly owned walkway and riverbanks, individually owned gardens, and communally owned private gardens.
The company – which has applied for charitable status – will seek financial backing from the Climate Challenge Fund, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Connected to that HLF application are plans to include a small hydroelectric plant at the Dean Village weir, and a modest café/interpretation centre just upstream of Dean Bridge in a former fives court. Both additions are intended to generate income which would go towards maintaining other improvements.
DVR was incorporated on 11 September and is registered to an address on Frederick Street.
Its three directors are Colin MacKay WS, Kristina Agnes Taylor and Robert Anthony Barnham. All three will be present at a public meeting to discuss the proposal later this month.
A project group with which DVR cooperates includes the Dean Village Association and the Water of Leith Conservation Trust.
Also present at this month’s meeting will be Peter McGowan, a Leith-based landscape architect.
McGowan wrote the accompanying Conservation Statement (see foot of page), which was commissioned by Edinburgh World Heritage with financial backing from City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Scotland.
Issues and aims
In that document, McGowan identifies four defining issues:
- The management of the Water of Leith valley including the Dean valley for nature conservation and biodiversity, as a Local Biodiversity Site and a Natural Heritage Site (Parks designation)
- Policies for tree and woodland management as they affect both the visual and nature conservation aspects of the valley landscape
- The condition of the built fabric of the site and the effects of vegetation.
The proposal aims to improve the walkway and adjacent structure, and to involve owners of Moray, Dean and Belgrave Gardens. The project would also tackle: landscape maintenance and related safety issues resulting from degradation; upgrading the walkway/cycle path; community participation through environmental interpretation.
Early discussions and conducted walks involved local councillors and Stockbridge Primary School, and a public meeting was held in February this year.
The 1km stretch of public walkway and associated river banks is obviously not in Broughton, and to be honest we hadn’t heard anything about the plans until yesterday.
But we visit the area regularly and were initially so alarmed by scant details on a flyer (and the apparent involvement of a private company) that we quickly found out more.
We are not as alarmed anymore.
However, many locals here will no doubt wish to keep abreast of these important developments on our doorstep.
The next public meeting is scheduled for 11.00am–12.30pm on 31 October at Edinburgh Academy on Henderson Row.
present occupant @PresentOccupant
@theSpurtle Dean Valley is lovely. I hope #litterlouts will change their actions & #KeepScotlandTidy all along the #waterofleithwalkway