Easter Craiglockhart Hill Local Nature Reserve and adjacent lands

An opportunity has arisen to transfer ownership and management of the woodland and open space within the Easter Craiglockhart Hill Local Nature Reserve and Craighouse Campus to the Council or appropriate body in the community.

The City of Edinburgh Council would like to invite you to attend an information and consultation event to provide you with updated information and hear your views on the proposals.

The map, available to download on the right of this page, shows present ownership and the location of the various parcels of land involved in the consultation. They consist of the following:

1. City of Edinburgh Council owner area of Local Nature Reserve
2. Craighouse Partnership owner area of Local Nature Reserve
3. Meadowspot Woods section in Craighouse Partnership ownership
4. South Craighouse Woods, Craighouse Partnership ownership
5. Orchard, Craighouse Partnership ownership

The various options to be discussed are as folows:

• Option 1 - Take no action. The consequence would be that a new residents association (of the potential new housing development) would become the owners and managers of the Craighouse Partnership owned section of the local nature reserve as well as the lawn area known as The Orchard.
• Option 2 - The Council could take ownership of the entire reserve from Craighouse Partnership and manage it on behalf of the city, community and the residents.
• Option 3 - Joint ownership with the community taking ownership of and management responsibility for the Craighouse Partnership owned land and the Council retaining the part of Local Nature Reserve it already owns.
• Option 4 - Community ownership and management of all areas
• Option 4a - Transition period of joint ownership and management between the Council and the community moving towards full community ownership and management over a period of time (5 years was suggested as an example) and as the community was able to raise funds and show their ability to manage the land, ownership would be transferred.

The consultation event is being held on Thursday 21 March 2013 at 7pm at Morningside Church Hall, Holy Corner, 15 Chamberlain Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4DJ. 

Included in the downloads, on the right hand side of this web page, are the frequently asked questions which have been raised by members of the public who have taken part in the consultation so far. 

If you are able to attend this consultation event but still wish to provide comments please complete our online survey. Please note this survey will close on Sunday the 31st of March 2013.