Friends of Craighouse Grounds and Wood

Enabling Development: When does it Enable and when does it Disable a Project?

The developers claim that “enabling development” is the answer to maintaining the existing Grade A listed buildings. The Friends have examined the data and not only believe that this is a specious argument, but that enabling new development on the site would make the project much higher-risk and increase the chances of the site being sold on or not being completed quickly and the listed buildings degenerating.

Many people were scared at the exhibitions by photographs of graffitied old buildings falling into ruin.

But giving planning permission for excessive amounts of new-build development on the site will not make it less likely that the buildings fall into neglect – in fact it increases this risk.

Continue reading →

What can I say, everyone? An absolutely terrific result this week from the stall and from people handing petitions in to us and other volunteers going door to door.

We are now up to 2043 signatures! Absolutely brilliant. I take my hat off to you all and let’s keep up the good work – let’s aim for smashing through the 3000 mark next. Please download petitions from this website and invite your family and friends and anyone who cares about the site and the impact on Edinburgh’s green space to sign. Then email petition@friendsofcraighouse.com and we can arrange to pick it up from you or you can drop it in to the next meeting.

Thanks so much! We really appreciate all your efforts. Every contribution helps.

We only did half a day on the stall this Sat, but were able to add a another 364 signatures to the petition, bringing the total collected so far to a fantastic 1,575 signatures in just 3 weeks! Big thanks to everyone and all our new volunteers this week!

You’re all brilliant – thank you so much!

Continue reading →

our trusty campaign table

We’ll be out petitioning from 10am-1pm today in Morningside, nr Waitrose. We’ll be the ones dressed up to the nines in various woolly garments – and you’ll recognise the trusty campaign table. Do pop by and say hello if you’re passing. And if you haven’t signed already – please add your name to our petition. It all mounts up and makes a huge difference.

Wish us luck with the weather! (*Blows on hands and stamps feet for warmth*).

Craighouse at sunset

Today, I found myself listening to Andrew Motion’s set of dramatic and moving poems to mark Armistice Day on Radio 4, Laurels and Donkeys.

I was particularly struck (and moved) by a section dealing with shellshock sufferers. The nightmare panic; the juddering limbs, the fractured,  shot-to-pieces nerves of people who had seen things most of us can barely imagine. I remember being told about my mother’s great-uncle – who suffered the whole of his life and had to be looked after by the family  due to this terrible condition – so little talked about then, even in our own family. Continue reading →

A set of posters designed for the website by an 11 year old member. Thanks so much!

We have been sent in this fine set of posters by an 11 year old member of the Friends. Thanks so much. I think she has captured really well what she knows as “Craighouse hill” – means to the kids in particular –  “sledging, dog walking, and animals, trees, watching the fireworks and chilling out with our friends. I am 11 and love this hill can you help me to save it”.

STV online have published this article about petitioning in the cold, why it is so important this site isn’t spoiled and why you can’t call a five-year-old a NIMBY:

http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/26970-saving-craighouse-isnt-easy-writes-campaign-leader/

our campaigning table - adding its support

Today we smashed last week’s record of 589 signed in one day. Today 622 signatures were added to our petition! Bringing us to a current total of 1211 signatures and counting. A terrific result!

Thank you so much to our tireless volunteers – including some of our younger members who showed us some great dance moves to keep warm on a rather bracing October day. And thanks particularly to one of our members (you know who you are) who added an impressive number he had been collecting door to door to the total.

Continue reading →

We will be out again tomorrow (Saturday) outside Waitrose (corner of Morningside Road/ Falcon Ave) with a petition to sign from 10am-4pm. Last time we got nearly 600 signatures. Please help us to beat that tomorrow! The petition really helps to show local support for preserving public green space for children to play, dogs to walk, runners to exercise and people to see the wildlife.If you haven’t yet signed, please come along.

If you are not sure whether to sign, why not come along and we will explain our case, and why we think you should support us.

If you can help, please let us know by emailing petition@friendsofcraighouse.com.