Edinburgh council asks public for view on proposed Queensferry community campus

Now the public are being asked for their views on the plans, which the city council says would deliver new, fit for purpose services and more school places to support Queensferry’s growing population.

The new community campus on Burgess Road aims to bring together more modern services in a central location for the whole community.

The new Queensferry campus plans are out to consultation | Collective Architecture

And the council says the plans have been drawn up using the findings of previous consultations and reports.

A new Early Years Centre at the north end of Burgess Park would provide children with better quality outdoor space and a modern environment for learning and development.

Burgess Park would be extended by removing the road depot from adjacent land, thus increasing green space.

A larger and improved Queensferry library would move to the campus, with more community spaces and provision to deliver expanded services with partners.

There would be more created classrooms at Queensferry Primary School by moving the Early Years facility to a new building and re-purposing space within the school.

And the school would also get expanded playground space, replacing existing buildings which are in poor condition.

The proposals for the hub are part of the Queensferry Living Well Locally project to help make Queensferry greener, healthier and safer for everyone.

The council says the project aligns with its 20-minute neighbourhood strategy to help local people meet most of their daily needs within a short walk, wheel or cycle from their home.

Information on further plans to improve walking, wheeling and cycling connections to shops, services, and facilities in the local area are to follow as related projects are developed.

The council’s culture an communities convener Val Walker said: “With Queensferry’s population continuing to grow, we need more school places to meet demand, while some of our existing community buildings are reaching the end of their usable life and are no longer fit for purpose.

“We firmly believe that doing nothing is not an option, and we need to invest in local community facilities for today and tomorrow. We are looking to deliver this through a place-based approach that reflects what people in the area want and need.

“We are keen to hear from as many people as possible who use services in the area. The proposals have been designed partly using the feedback from previous engagement, but we need to make sure they work for everyone.

“This consultation is a fantastic opportunity to make sure people’s views are heard and considered when plans are developed in more detail.”

And education convener Joan Griffiths added: “We know from previous engagement that people would like modern community services and facilities in a central location that is easy for people from all over the local area to access. Our ideas for a new community hub on Burgess Road address these issues.

“The proposals for the new early years centre and expanded primary school have the potential to create a modern learning and development environment for children in Queensferry, while allowing us to provide vital new classroom spaces.”

The survey is now live on the council’s consultation hub and will run until Monday April 21. A number of in-person events will be held in venues across Queensferry, where officers will be available to discuss plans and listen to people’s views.

The first of these will take place on Thursday February 6 at Queensferry Library, noon - 2pm, and Scotmid Co-op, 4pm - 6pm. Details of further dates and times will be published on the council’s website and consultation hub.

Beyond this, the project team is also meeting with local community groups and organisations as part of the consultation process.