Scotland round-up: Green light for redevelopment of Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children site; Glasgow Airport transport links move

Green light for redevelopment of Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children site

Proposals to demolish part of a former children’s hospital in Edinburgh to make way for an ambitious mixed-use development involving student accommodation and housing were approved this week. 

The Planner

Glasgow Airport transport links move

A Personal Rapid Transit shuttle pod between Glasgow Airport and Paisley Gilmour Street has emerged as an alternative to a full tram-train rail link between the city and the airport. A business case for these proposals is now being worked up following a meeting between Glasgow and Renfrewshire council leaders, Scotland’s transport secretary and Glasgow Airport.

Glasgow Evening Times

Planning performance penalties urged

Industry body Homes for Scotland has reiterated its view that there should be penalty clause in the forthcoming planning bill to encourage better performance by planning authorities.

Homes for Scotland

MSPs say carbon cutting is key to oil and gas support

A boost for the country’s flagging oil and gas industry should not be finalised without a detailed plan for tackling climate change, a group of influential MPs have warned in a UK Parliamentary report.

UK Parliament

Tree cover pledge  

Scotland is entering a ‘new era’ in which thousands of hectares of land will be transformed into forest every year, ministers have pledged.

Glasgow Herald

Channel 4 eyes Merchant City base in Glasgow

A historic building in the Merchant City is set to be the new home of Channel 4 when it opens its new offices in Glasgow.

Glasgow Herald

Dingwall initiative

Highland Council has agreed to invest in infrastructure improvements for Dingwall that will unlock the development of 150 additional houses in the town.

Scottish Housing News

Another student development for Glasgow

A project to transform a former school in Glasgow’s West End into student accommodation has been given the green light.

Sottish Construction Now

Cairngorms National Park LDP makes waves

Cairngorms National Park Authority’s has started consulting on its proposed local development plan for the period 2020-2025, which includes plans for up to 250 new homes on land owned by the Invercauld Estate, currently used as the car park for the Ballater Highland Games.

Cairngorms National Park Authority and The Scotsman

Waverley Centre rooftop plaza progresses

Proposals to develop a plaza on top of Edinburgh’s Waverley Mall have been given the thumbs up by councillors in a move which will provide an area for a performance space, farmers’ markets, pop-ups, live music and an open-air cinema.

Edinburgh Evening News

Knockroon eco-development doubts  

Fresh doubts have emerged over the future of Knockroon, the pioneering eco-village envisaged by Prince Charles’s flagship charitable foundation as a “model community for Scotland” after the entire project – billed as a tartan rival to Poundbury in Dorset – was placed under review.

The Scotsman

Dumfries town centre auction setback

A group aiming to revive Dumfries town centre has missed out at auction on properties it hoped to buy as part of its ambitious Midsteeple Quarter project initiative.

The Scottish Journal and The Scotsman

Flooding funding

Communities across Scotland are to benefit from more than £700,000 additional funding to improve flood protection.

Scottish Government