Some clarity, at last
Spurtle has been following the lack of obvious progress in completing refurbishment of the Powderhall Stables as artist studios, micro offices, and public meeting space. We’ve also been interested in the stalled development of mixed senior housing and nursery on the former bowling-green site adjacent.
Following months of occasionally baffling responses to our enquiries from Council officials, we finally submitted our questions as a Freedom of Information request. These have now been processed and considered under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), and the information is provided below (Ref. 48272).
Question 1. What progress has been made in discussions between Edinburgh Council officials and Scottish Power Energy Networks on practicalities and programming of electricity connection for the Stables?
The Council and Scottish Power Energy Network (SPEN) have established the Variation Agreement for the electrification of Powderhall Stables and can now proceed to electrification. This is being coordinated with other required groundworks.
Q2. Are permissions in place for electricity connection?
Yes.
If so, has a procurement process begun regarding electricity connection for the Stables?
Yes. The Council is currently tendering for a groundworks package that would deliver incoming electricity, incoming water, drainage, sewerage, an access road to the substation, a pedestrian route to the basement and resurfacing of the courtyard.
Q3. When do you expect electricity-connection work for the Stables to begin and end?
A timescale will need to be agreed between the contractor and SPEN. It is aimed to carry out this work in summer 2024.
Q4. Regarding water connection for the Stables:
(a) What were the problems encountered?
The stables building currently drains to a combined sewer. As part of the refurbishment works, the drainage of the building was improved. The intention was that the refurbished building would drain into the Water of Leith in line with Scottish Water policy. However, these works were put on hold due to concerns raised by the Council’s Environmental section that running a trench between the stables building and the Water of Leith could allow any contaminants on the depot site to leak into the Water of Leith.
(b) What was the solution offered by Council officers?
The Council considered various options, such as a pumped overground connection to the Water of Leith. These were ultimately judged to be costly and complex to implement. The Council approached Scottish Water seeking special dispensation to (re)connect to the existing combined sewer as an interim solution.
(c) What was Scottish Water’s response?
Scottish Water originally rejected the proposal but agreed to consider it on the basis that the Council entered into a legally binding commitment to move to an alternative solution (connecting to the Water of Leith) by a set date.
(d) What was the ‘special dispensation’ Edinburgh Council sought from Scottish Water?
To connect to the existing combined sewer as an interim solution.
Q5. Are permissions now in place for work to connect the Stables to ingoing and outgoing water routes?
No, Scottish Water is still considering the request for special dispensation.
If so: (a) Has a procurement process started?
Yes, albeit if the special dispensation is not granted the drainage connection would be omitted from the wider groundworks contract.
(b) When do you expect work on connecting the water to begin and end?
Incoming water is planned to be connected in summer 2024. Drainage would be carried out at the same time, subject to the request for special dispensation being granted.
Q6. Why have finalising electricity and water connections to the Powderhall Stables been left to the end of the refurbishment process rather than being organised much earlier in the planning process?
The utility works were planned to be carried out as part of the refurbishment but experienced delays. The drainage connection was delayed due to the concerns around draining to the Water of Leith.
The electricity connection was delayed due to the negotiation of a lease with SPEN taking longer than anticipated; this was exacerbated by the requirement to amend the cable route on two occasions to accommodate changes to the footprint of the residential development on the site.
Incoming water connections were delayed due to the challenges associated with closing Broughton Road while tram-work diversions were in place; these works could be carried out now, but it has been judged to be more economical to carry them out at the same time as other utility works.
Q7. Will future phases of development on the site face similar difficulties and delays?
It is not possible to predict any issues that may arise, but it is hoped that the Stables building refurbishment has ‘flushed out’ challenges so these are now known in advance of the wider site redevelopment moving forward.
Q8. What progress has been made on finalising and agreeing a tender for construction of mixed nursery/senior housing on the former bowling greens?
Plans for the development of an early years centre for 128 children and 27 older person’s homes on the former bowling green site were approved in November 2021 (21/00381/FUL). A tender has been received from the principal contractor (CCG) and a response on several clarifications is awaited from them to allow a tender report to be produced and the project viability assessed.
When is work expected to begin?
This will be dependent on the outcome of the viability assessment.
