Readers' letters: City planners are building on shaky ground

I find it quite incredible that the RBS Building on Dundas Street in Edinburgh, completed only in 1991 and empty for several years, is now being demolished along with its neighbour facing onto Fettes Row, also built only 40 years ago and it too empty for much of that time.

Just what is going on in Edinburgh and what can we expect in the coming decades?

These are key buildings given permission by City of Edinburgh Council and erected despite much public, especially local opposition. Buildings supposedly contributing to the economy of the city.

Cities need investment and investors, but such key sites should be developed in a manner that makes a long-term contribution to the future economy of the city but also which enhance its character. These two "here today and gone tomorrow” buildings have failed on both counts.

Perhaps we have another building about to face the same fate. What was a much-heralded five-star Missoni Hotel (later the Radisson) at 1 George IV Bridge opened in 2009 but operated for only a few years. It has been scaffolded over for almost five years, now standing as blight on the street in the heart of a World Heritage city.

This is not sustainable development by any stretch of the imagination and not the kind of investment needed. Empty, redundant buildings, eyesores to behold not providing jobs and not adding any benefit to the the city or its people.

Perhaps a tax on such empty buildings might make developers think long-term or else build in flexibility to enable a more multi-use or even mixed-use approach to avoid such white elephant buildings existing.

I have not even started on the matter of the waste of energy and materials and the high carbon footprint of such buildings.

Leslie Howson, Edinburgh.

Economic questions the SNP must answer

Having waited so long I thought we might have some clarity with the latest SNP proposal for independence.

The one thing repeatedly mentioned by separatists is economic levers that came with a central bank. We are told that we won’t have a bank for some time (estimates of up to 10 years have been reported) and will continue to use the English pound until certain unspecified things might happen.

If Scotland tries to borrow money, in which currency will this be and what expected rate? What happens if there is a currency flight?

What makes the SNP think they can dictate customs control at our border with England? What happens if the remaining countries refuse to allow Scottish goods to enter?

Rail lines could be terminated short of the border and roads closed to through traffic. How do we trade and who with?

Scottish owned vehicles will have to be re-registered with UK numbers cancelled; will we be allowed to use UK roads and at what cost? Who owns the offshore land where renewables are?

It seems inconceivable that SNP don’t already know if we would be accepted into the EU, how many years we might have to wait, and the requirements for joining.

Providing the details may help those who still believe Scotland is better off away from the UK.

Alastair Murray, Edinburgh.

Championing hate

The SEC in Glasgow has been ordered to pay almost £100,000 in damages to a US preacher after cancelling his event. Franklin Graham has faced criticism over remarks about homosexuality.

We must not police private church attitudes, but a law which condemns homophobic hate yet champions it at public events when it is religious homophobic hate is an ass.

Neil Barber, Edinburgh Secular Society.

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