If you are not already tired of hearing the phrase “shovel-ready” then expect to be over the next few days and weeks. But what should Edinburgh’s “shovel-ready” projects be? Greens want to hear from you!
“Shovel-ready” refers to capital or infrastructure projects which can be developed quickly. They are highly topical because they involve one-off spending, potentially address the continued failings of infrastructure (stuff like buildings, pavements, community facilities) and provide jobs to a hard-hit construction industry.
The Scottish Government has invited councils to come up with a list of “shovel-ready” projects should extra capital investment become available. In response the City Council has come up with the list below, by way of illustration. The Greens don’t think they are bad projects (and some are very good); we are just not convinced that they should be all be top of the list. So we want to ask people in Edinburgh what they think, using the criteria below…
Green Group Convenor, Steve Burgess said:
“The City needs investment in infrastructure but we need the right kind of investment. I support potential investment in school sport facilities, street lights and road safety as exactly the kind of projects that enhance the quality of life for residents where they live. So I want to ask people to identify other such projects - for example, in our schools, libraries, on our footways or cycle-ways and in our parks. I’d like to see investment – in energy efficiency, for example – that can actually save us money.
“I am sure Edinburgh can come up with a more compelling list”
The City’s Council’s starting list is as follows
- Ross Theatre Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens – £5 million
- Replacement gyms for 3 primary schools – £3 million
- Placemaking enhancements in Rose Street – £2.4 million
- Placemaking enhancements in Waverley Bridge – £1 million
- Placemaking enhancements in Charlotte Square – £1 million
- Road safety improvements in Lower Granton Road – £0.6 million
- Replacing failed street lights – £2 million
- Improvements to Calton Hill Observatory – £0.4 million
The criteria that are used are:
- Does it fit with the Council’s objectives?
- Is the financial case robust?
- Can it be delivered in 2013-14?
- Is the investment sustainable in the future, without future cost liabilities
What do you think? Over to you!
The Edinburgh branch of the 
These projects don’t appear to be investing in disadvantaged communities, or improving infrastructure. Would support better cycling and walking infrastructure, for example improvement to cyclepaths that would also help commuting and tourism, or improving local community streets such as Leith Walk, Broughton Rd or countless other streets with really bad paving.
£5mill for the Ross Bandstand is a disgrace when funding for our Community school was dismissed out of hand by this shambolic coalition. apart from the Gyms for the primary schools (and even that seems a bit costly) i like Stephen Farrar think this Money could be better spent.
i would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Greens for the support they have afforded to The #SAVETHEBRAE campaign (We fight on) i think you have made some friends in this community. also Cardownies behaviour was a disgrace.
The site designated for a new Castlebrae High School is in my opinion Shovel ready
I’m neither impressed nor surprised at the City Council’s starting list, which doesn’t do much for local communities.
How about knocking down the unused and unsightly car park block on Leith Walk and creating a low maintenance community garden?
Or investing in green technology in public buildings which has been shown to save millions in utility bills?