New Craig in an Autumn sunset: Grade A listed building
People in the local community have been challenging the fact that the developers had started work on the old consent without Listed Building Consent – which ran out in 2007. The planning consent for the Arts Faculty Building stated clearly that work could not start without it – and yet the planning department waved this aside, insisting that Listed Building Consents and Planning Consents were different processes – and therefore it wasn’t needed.
Councillors who were contacted merely circulated a statement from David Leslie (Development Management Manager in the council) – which said the same thing.
View of Craighouse from Braid Hills
According to the The Scottish Historic Environment Policy (considered the authoritative document by the Scottish Planning Policy outlining the Scottish Government’s policy on listed buildings) it states clearly and unmistakably in good old black and white:
“Where both LBC & planning permission are required the applicant must obtain both before work can commence.”
(Our underscore)
So, the residents who wrote were right all along.
We want some answers, Councillors, and we want proper answers this time, not just circulated statements that are incorrect fob offs.
(Update: The source document from Historic Scotland is here: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/policy/shep.htm. The relevant section is Annex 9)
Friends of Craighouse Grounds and Wood 
Ok so we should now write to our coucillors demanding a letter that they accept this reasoning, and will enforce the same?
Absolutely. We will be sending in another formal letter and that process will trundle along – but in the meantime I urge people to write in and make it plain to the Councillors that we will not let this be pushed aside. There are rules,, there are policies. There is proper process. The Councillors represent the community and they need to honour their commitment to work hard on this issue, on their commitment to oversee what is happening at Craighouse, they should be expressing people’s concerns, asking the important questions and making sure this is put right before people lose trust in the system.
You can take it as read that a strongly worded from me letter will be on it’s way to our less than esteemed councillors some time this week. Great work all round on this whole issue, as ever, from you i have to say. My sincere thanks for all of it.
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Thank you both! Craighouse is really special site. There are policies and rules: they need to be followed if the site is to have a good future.