ANNEX 5: SUMMARY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE GOGAR BURN CATCHMENT
Description of the Study
01 The Scottish Environment Protection Agency set up a partnership group including Scottish Executive, City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, Scottish Natural Heritage, BAA Edinburgh Airport, tie, and land development interests to investigate issues of hydrology and water quality in the Gogar Burn catchment area.
02 The Gogar Burn in its lower catchment (north of the Union Canal) is both subject to flooding (particularly in the area immediately south of the Airport) and to poor water quality due to unattenuated and untreated surface water run-off from the Gyle Centre, Edinburgh Park and South Gyle. The Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill proposes a minor diversion of the Burn to facilitate construction of the Airport station, but the station nevertheless requires considerable flood protection works, and the passenger route from station platforms to airport terminal would be complicated by the main concourse having to be elevated above the 1 in 200 flood level. Areas of land that would otherwise be ideal for international business development form part of the flood plain and are subject to periodic flooding.
03 Consultants therefore investigated the issues and proposed a number of component options to overcome the flooding issue and deal with water quality and habitat. These included diversion and restoration of the route of the Gogar Burn, creation of new or modified flood retention areas, and proposals to deal with water quality. Further work is proceeding to determine the detailed feasibility of preferred options and to cost these. However, there are promising combinations of components that could both benefit the Gogar Burn itself, and remove the flood problem from the area of the Airport Station and potential development land.
Principles Derived from the Sustainable Development Framework for the Gogar Burn for the West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006
04 The Sustainable Development Framework for the Gogar Burn, adopted by the Gogar Burn Partnership Group convened by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency ( SEPA), derived the following principles:
- All surface water runoff from new developments constructed after 1st April 2006, or from construction sites operated after 1st April 2006, must be drained by sustainable drainage systems ( SuDS) or equivalent, in compliance with the Controlled Activities (Scotland) Regulations 2005.
- The principle of a sustainable drainage solution for the Gyle Surface Water Outfall should be accepted. The location and nature of the drainage system require further research.
- The upper catchment has a strategic role to play in the development of the lower catchment, by providing flood storage and flow attenuation; the location and extent of flood storage require further research. It is recommended that discussions with landowners of Improvement Component 8 are commenced, with a view to gaining their support and cooperation. Further assessment work is required to determine the extent of flood storage.
- Restoration, improvement and realignment of the Gogar Burn channel will secure improvements in habitat, river morphology, landscape and amenity and will ensure land is available for economic use, therefore it is proposed that the principle of these improvements be accepted. It is recommended that discussions are commenced with landowners of Improvement Components 4, 5 and 6 (on the basis that not all of the Improvement Components may be required) with a view to gaining their support and cooperation. Further assessment is required to determine which is the preferred realignment option.
- Implementation of any of the Improvement Components should maximise landscape, ecological and amenity benefits and minimise impact on archaeological and heritage features. In particular, consideration should be given to linking the Gogar Burn corridor with the wider foot/cycle path network and strengthening the river landscape character.