Commenting On the Approval of the V and A at Dundee Planning Application

At the Development Management meeting on Monday night, the Committee approved the planning application for the V and A at Dundee.

The Committee papers described the application as follows:


1.1 The proposal under consideration seeks full planning permission for the construction of the V and A at Dundee museum building and extension to Riverside Walk. As part of the enabling works for the proposed V and A at Dundee site the existing Craig Harbour is to be infilled.


1.2 V and A at Dundee is a proposal for an international centre of design for Scotland. It will celebrate Scotland’s historic importance in design and host major exhibitions of international design that will appeal to the widest public and help develop understanding of our own and others’ cultural heritage. V and A at Dundee project will provide dedicated exhibition space, interpretation and a range of activities that will allow diverse audiences to see, explore, understand and be inspired by creative evolution and their design heritage, in a way that makes it physically and intellectually accessible.
1.3 The proposal is part of the Dundee Waterfront Development Masterplan which has been developed and is being implemented by the Dundee Waterfront Project (a public sector partnership between Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise). The master plan includes the redevelopment of the Railway Station, demolition of the Olympia Leisure Centre and Tayside House along with the reshaping of the current traffic road layout to enhance the relationship between Dundee City Centre and the River Tay.


1.4 The application site measures approximately 1.2774 hectares and will involve the provision of a 3 storey structure with a total foot area of 8,445m2 and overall approximate height of 18.3m (see figures 1 and 2). The Kengo Kuma proposal incorporates a building of international design significance. The internal and external walling is to be constructed in reconstituted stone and concrete to compliment the traditional construction materials used in Dundee.

This approval is clearly an important milestone in the redevelopment of the waterfront in Dundee with immense significance for the city and wider region. 

In the period running up to the opening of the V and A at Dundee, there is an enormous amount of enabling work to be undertaken so that Dundee and Broughty Ferry can provide a positive experience for the many tens of thousands of additional visitors that will be attracted to the V and A in our city.

Following My Complaints, Scottish Water Respond to Leaks from the Sewers on Broughty Ferry Stony Beach

Leaking foul water on the Stony Beach
beneath Douglas Terrace
Click on image to enlarge

On Wednesday last week, I contacted Scottish Water to complain again about the persistent leaks from sewers onto Broughty Ferry stony beach close to Douglas Terrace.

I had observed and photographed foul water leaking onto the beach at multiple locations in the space of two hundred metres. 

I also let Scottish Water know that, on a day without much wind to disperse the odour, the smell was lingering and very unpleasant. I had received complaints about this from constituents.

I think this is a health hazard, it's certainly unpleasant for residents and visitors and completely unacceptable. 

Furthermore, the resultant water pollution also threatens to undermine the work to help Broughty Ferry sandy beach regain it's Blue Flag.

Over more than two years I have been writing to Scottish Water about these issues. Scottish Water responding by sending out more squads of work people that pour concrete onto the beach is clearly not working.

While I appealed for these multiple sources of pollution to be contained and the leaks repaired, I also appealed to Scottish Water to bring forward their overdue plans to upgrade the sewerage system at this point.  Last October their engineers predicted they would bring forward a scheme in 6-8 months. Nine months later I know many of my constituents think it's time for delivery.

Scottish Water Engineer inspecting the leaks
Click on image to enlarge

On Thursday 8 and Friday 9 August Scottish Water came out to fix the leaks. They also hand delivered a letter to all the local residents in the vicinity to explain what they are doing. In this letter they wrote:

'The main issue at present is at West Ferry Pumping Station, resulting in two intermittent leaks of waste water onto the foreshore. These two weak points in the system are shown in the plan overleaf and were inspected by Scottish Water and SEPA today. To overcome this problem, are working through the following actions:

Temporary additional pump in action
Click on image to enlarge

Installation of additional temporary pumping at West Ferry Pumping Station to draw down the level in the sewerage system. This was implemented today and has relieved the pressure on the system and stopped the leaks to the foreshore. Unfortunately, this action requires the 24hr use of a generator for a period of time. Veolia Water have sourced the quietest generator on the market to try and avoid any noise disruption and we hope this is effective.

Following the success of the additional pumping, a new seal will be installed at the Douglas Terrace leak location. Veolia Water will continue to work over this weekend to complete the work.

Also, once the level in the system has been drawn down, Veolia Water will need to take access to he Pumping Station to inspect all below ground assets and ensure optimum operation going forward. The station has worked effectively for a number of years and we will restore this level of performance.

Major works will be required at the walkway leak location, entailing demolition and reconstruction of an underground chamber. This will remove the leak risk and reinstate the beach to its former condition. Veolia Water have been instructed to undertake these works but a contractor has yet to be appointed. We will provide a further update in advance of these works.'

I am glad that Scottish Water admit that they have two linked problems; the leaking underground vessel on the beach beneath the walkway and pumps that are not working properly at the West Ferry Pumping Station. I am sure residents will be relieved when these long term repairs are in place. They will look forward to a return to the peace and quiet and fresh air they deserve. I think members of the Beach Management Group will be pleased when these persistent leaks are fixed and are not undermining their efforts for Broughty Ferry to regain the Blue Flag for our sandy beach.

Contractor Urged to Remove Construction Debris from Grassy Beach

In July the slipways on Grassy Beach were resurfaced. Unfortunately the contractors seem to have forgotten to remove all their building materials and equipment. This heap of planks, ladders and a metal fencing panel has been left on the beach.

I have emailed The contractors to ask them to remove what I assume is their residual 'stuff' inadvertently left on site after they removed most of their equipment a few weeks ago.

New Website for Eastern Primary School

Eastern Primary School have updated their website.You can find them by clicking on this link.

New Road Signs at Forthill Primary School Now in the Right Location

Road signs in wrong location
Click on image to enlarge

On Thursday I cycled round to Forthill Primary School to check that the new 'No Entry' signs had been erected outside the school to block access to the Eastern end of Fintry Place that runs past the school up to the entrance to Forthill Sports Club.

This road safety measure was introduced to help improve the safety for children outside the school in the mornings and and afternoons.

On Thursday, I saw that the signs had indeed been erected but disappointed that they were in the wrong location - see above. I took a photograph and emailed it to the Transportation Department. Give them their due, they reacted very promptly and instructed the contractor to go out again, as a matter of urgency, and put up the signs in the right place.

New road signs now relocated
Click on image to enlarge

Two days later, when I passed the school, the signs had been relocated. 

I trust that parents and carers will respect the new traffic restrictions when they are dropping off and picking up their children when new school term starts on Tuesday.

Overhanging Shrubs Obstructing Pavement in Nursery Road

Residents living in the sheltered housing in Forthill Drive complained earlier this week about the shrubs overhanging the Nursery Road pavements which many of them walk along on their way to the shops at Campfield Square. Since the residents' meeting on Monday, I have been out with my camera and sent a photograph to staff at the Environment Department.

It is clearly a seasonal issue as screening shrubs put on growth which extends over boundary walls and fences. On the north side of Nursery Road, I have noticed that many of the properties with overhanging shrubs have their entrances on Morlich Gardens and Lochalsh Street that run in parallel with Nursery Road. In these circumstances the householders may easily miss noticing that their shrubs are obstructing the pavement beyond the boundaries of the properties.

I have reported this to the Environment Department and asked them to contact the householders concerned to ask them to cut back the offending shrubs.

Dundee Rep Performance at Broughty Castle Sunday 4 August 2013

As part of the Blue Skies Dundee Festival, Dundee Rep came to Broughty Ferry on Sunday night and performed within the Castle walls.

They entertained an appreciative audience with a rehearsed reading of Little Eagles by Rona Munro. The play celebrates the work of the pioneer head of the Soviet Space Programme, Sergei Pavlovich Korolyov. Before his death he was often referred to only as "Chief Designer", because his name and his pivotal role in the Soviet space program was a state secret. Only after his death was he publicly acknowledged as the lead man behind the early Soviet successes in space.

For those of us who can remember news about the launching of the first Sputnik in 1957 and the first man in space, Yuri Gargarin, this play provided a fascinating set of insights. But as the the play's author admitted, she had to use her imagination to fill in some of the blanks in Korolyov's history which has been shrouded by secrecy.

The Company all played well with a stand out performance from Lewis Howden as Korolyov. The sound engineers also deserve a special mention because they ensured that extraneous noise from the wind did not drown out the dialog.

The Castle was an inspired choice for such a performance; with the Tower as a backdrop silhouetted against the night sky, one could easily be dramatically transported to the launch site of the Sputnik. Thanks to Blue Skies for an entertaining night out on our doorstep.

It was truly some Blue Sky thinking that led to the unique opportunity to attend a performance by Dundee Rep at Broughty Ferry Castle; most probably the first ever performance by Dundee Rep in The Ferry and the first professional outdoor performance of a play at Broughty Castle. I hope it won't be too long before Ferry folk can experience the like of this again.

Call for Building Work at Barnhill Primary School to be Complete Before Pupils Return Next Week

Click on image to enlarge

When I visited Barnhill Primary School on Monday evening, building work by the Council appeared to be seriously behind schedule for the new term beginning next Tuesday. 

Over the six week summer holiday, the temporary classroom that houses the Nursery Class was supposed to have been moved from its site close to the front entrance to a new location at the other side of the school. When I visited on Monday evening, I had expected to see the job done or merely the finishing touches to be completed. Unfortunately the site preparation for the relocated hut was still being undertaken and the Nursery Hut hadn't budged from its original location. The school looked like a building site with the playground on the Abercromby Street side of the school fenced off - see photograph.

Apart from the temporary classroom being moved to its new location, services will need to be connected, there are access ramps to fit, external play equipment to be moved, secured and fenced off all before the Care Inspectorate are called in to inspect and approve the relocated nursery unit."

I contacted the Director of Education to pass on my observations and seeking a reassurance that the re-located Nursery will be ready to welcome its young pupils next week and the school site ready for its staff and pupils.

On Tuesday morning, I was relieved to hear from the Director that the Nursery Unit move had been rescheduled. It will now be moved to its new location during the October holiday. It still looks like it will be a challenge to get the playgrounds and the external areas around the school tidied up before the beginning of term.

When members of the Parent Council were briefed about the extension of their School earlier this year, they were assured that the work would be carefully scheduled and monitored to ensure that disruption to the teaching and learning would be minimised. This does not appear to be the start that they were promised.

Road Safety Improvements in Claypotts Road Outside Grove Academy

The new bus stop for Grove Academy
Click on image to enlarge

Claypotts Road reopened last Friday after a period of closure for road works. 

The road works comprised a complete resurfacing of Claypotts Road from the junction with Ferndale Drive, past the main front entrance of Grove Academy right down to the junction with Queen Street and West Queen Street at the Occidental traffic lights. 

In addition, a number of road safety measures have been introduced including:

• Moving the bus stops from a position close to the main entrance to Grove and its vehicular entrance to new positions close to the pedestrian only entrance further down Claypotts Road;
• Introduction of a traffic island in Claypotts Road close to the new bus stops to prevent vehicles overtaking the buses dropping off and picking up passengers and
• Revised and redrawn traffic restrictions including yellow lines.

The Grove Academy and Eastern Primary School Parent Councils, the Broughty Ferry Community Council were all consulted about these proposals as were the four Councillors for Broughty Ferry.

When I had a site visit before the road re-opened, I voiced some concerns to Traffic Engineers that the new traffic island, which seemed to have been erected in the wrong location. I was concerned that it was located adjacent to the kerbside fence outside the pedestrian access to Grove Academy.  The Traffic Engineers confirmed that this traffic island was being constructed in the location they had planned. It was positioned to stop overtaking of stationery buses (see picture above) but not positioned to facilitate pedestrians crossing at that point.

I first raised concerns about the traffic arrangements in Claypotts Road in 2009 before the opening of New Grove Academy. 

I trust that these new arrangements will be used appropriately by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and thereby contribute to enhanced road safety in the vicinity of Grove Academy and Eastern Primary School.

Commenting on SQA Exam Results Tues 6 August 2013

This morning there will have been mixed emotions among the many hundreds of pupils and students in our city who will have been receiving their SQA exam results. Whether reading their results in a text, email or in the contents of their SQA envelope received through the post, this will truly be a moment to remember.

For many candidates there will be tears of joy and sighs of relief that hard work has been rewarded with passes and grades that will open doors to continuing studies at School or new opportunities and challenges at College, University and in the world of work. For some there will inevitably be disappointment with the results achieved and the necessity for a rethink.

I warmly congratulate pupils and students on all their successes in their various SQA examinations and assessments. Like Andy Murray's  success at Wimbledon this summer, this will not be a flash in the pan but based on hard work over a sustained period of time. And of course I should not forget to credit  the support of the equivalent of the coaches and supporters. In this case, the inspiration and encouragement of the teachers and parents and carers as well as the wider network of friends and family will also have been part of the story behind these successes.

For those that are disappointed with their results, I would encourage taking to heart the proverb that my late Father used to repeat on those occasions when I hadn't excelled: 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' 

For those who have missed their grades to meet a provisional offer for a place at University, this will be anxious time to see whether their grades are still acceptable or whether an alternative place or course might be available through clearing. UCAS Clearing 2013 opens today http://www.ucas.com

for applicants in Scotland.

Later this week or next, analyses will be available from the Director of Education about how the results of our school pupils add up across the city and how these city wide results compare with previous years and with other areas in Scotland. I shall particularly want to find out about the Higher Maths results as there were worrying claims earlier this year that the standard had been reduced. But for today, the focus should be on celebrating the positive results of our pupils who deserve their day enjoying their successes; their equivalent of a victory in a Wimbledon final. 

Well done!

Broughty Ferry Artist and Musician Have Their Film Short Listed at International Dance Film Festival in San Francisco

Emile Shemilt and Genevieve Murphy from The Ferry had important roles in a dance film, A Touch of Red, which has just been shortlisted for an award at a prestigious international festival.
Emile is the Director of the film and Genevieve wrote the music. They made the film with a team of young artists who were based in the city. They are both thrilled, along with their collaborators, that their film has been shortlisted at the dance screen 2013 with San Francisco Dance Film Festival 12-15 September in San Francisco.

They are now channelling their creative talents into raising the money to attend the festival and awards ceremony.

They want to fly the flag for Dundee and and be there to receive any award should their film be selected by the jurors. Whatever the result in San Francisco, it is clearly an accolade to be short listed for an award and they hope this will help reinforce Dundee’s bid for UK City of Culture 2017.

Emile can be contacted at the Visual Research Centre at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA)

mobile 07773 203699 and email e.j.shemilt@dundee.ac.uk 

Public Protection From Falling Masonry on Victoria Road

Over last weekend the high retaining wall at the top of Victoria Road close tot its junction with Claypotts Road, began to bulge and some stones fell out. 

One of my constituents drew this to my attention. He had initially contacted the Council directly but was concerned that in response they had only taped off the area.

He told me that he had expected something more substantial e.g. barriers to be done to [protect pedestrians and other road users from falling masonry.

I followed this up, contacted the City Engineers and requested a risk assessment on the state of the wall and better protective measures which rapidly followed.

Dundee Rep Perform at Broughty Ferry Castle Sunday 4 August 8pm - Free But Booking Essential

Dundee Rep will be performing, for one night only, at Broughty Ferry Castle on Sunday 4 August. This event is part of Dundee's Blue Skies Festival of kite flying, stargazing and rainbow chasing.

They invite us to join them in the magical surroundings of Broughty Ferry Castle for a rehearsed reading under the stars of 'Little Eagles' by Rona Munro presented by Dundee Rep Ensemble.

Little Eagles - Sun 4 August, 20:00 - Broughty Ferry Castle

This gripping drama celebrates the work of a pioneer in space exploration and the courage and bravery of the young Russian cosmonauts who literally hurled themselves into the unknown.

Free, but booking essential. Age 12+

To book your place call 01382 909900 or

visit Dundee Contemporary Arts Box Office in the Nethergate

NB This is an outdoor event so don’t forget to wrap up warm. Please bring a chair, blanket and your own refreshments. Age 12+. Please note that due to the nature of the performance it is not possible to admit latecomers, so please make sure that you arrive in good time for the beginning of the performance.

Blue Skies runs from Sat 3 – Sun 11 August 2013. It brings together cultural agencies from across the city to present you with an exciting mix of free events for all ages, every day of the festival.
Link to Blue Skies Programme of Events
http://www.dundeeblueskies.co.uk

Planned Merger of Dundee and Angus Colleges Can't Distract from SNP Cuts in Further Education

Saving money by merging colleges like Dundee College with Angus College in November this year may sound fine on paper, but we know Audit Scotland is doubtful whether the estimated savings from college mergers will actually materialise. I hope for the sake of students that they do, otherwise our college students will continue to pay the price for the sector being the poor cousin to the Universities under the SNP.

These mergers have been rushed through by the SNP in a desperate attempt to try to reduce the impact of their £50 million cut to the budgets of the Further Education Colleges throughout Scotland.

The name of a college and it’s management structure are minor issues when compared to how our colleges serve their communities. They now have far fewer places for adult learners and adults over 25 wanting to retrain full or part time. College staffing numbers have been reduced along with courses, leaving many young Scots on waiting lists unable to get a place.

It is therefore understandable that Mike Russell MSP, the SNP's Cabinet Secretary for Education, wants to divert attention away from his college cuts. Shiny new name plates and logos can’t disguise the dramatic cuts our further education sector has suffered. Unfortunately, for many prospective students, a Further Education College is less likely now to provide the place to go to learn new skills and retrain.

Broughty in Bloom Hopefully in the Running for Another Award from Keep Scotland Beautiful

Judges from Keep Scotland Beautiful, members of
Broughty Ferry in Bloom and Cllr Laurie Bidwell
at the Barnhill Rock Garden
Click on image to enlarge

On Tuesday afternoon, I was delighted to meet the judges from Keep Scotland Beautiful who were in The Ferry to judge us against other Coastal Towns competing for The David Kerr Coastal Resort Trophy and other awards in the annual Beautiful Scotland competition. 

In Broughty Ferry, Judges Lorna Much and Kate Stevenson came to inspect the work inspired and coordinated by Broughty in Bloom. After they visited last year, Broughty Ferry in Bloom received a Silver Gilt Award. Unfortunately we will all have to wait for the Awards Ceremony on 6 September to find out whether Broughty Ferry in Bloom carry off a Gold Award this time.

Well done to Stan Nutt, Chairperson of Broughty in Bloom and his committee for their sustained commitment to enhance our environment.

Beautiful Scotland is a long-established community environmental improvement campaign run in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. Previously known as Beautiful Scotland in Bloom, the programme supports community groups across Scotland as they seek to improve and enhance their local environment. Beautiful Scotland is a competition with an extensive set of categories and awards, and its winners can progress to the sister Britain in Bloom competition and thereafter to the international Entente Florale.

Keep Scotland Beautiful is the independent charity which is committed to making Scotland clean and green, today and tomorrow.