No I believe certain measures should be implemented to protect and ring fence some sectors to prevent them being closed down and sold off to the highest bidder. The city needs health and fitness facilities for the public to use especially in these times where heart disease,  cancers and obesity are on the rise. Fair enough sell the land if they want but don't give the new owners planning permission for student accommodation without replacing what was lost.

So let me see if I've got this right. You want private profit to be the only thing that matters in local planning decisions? And this sounds *reasonable* to you? /s

>I don't see why the council couldn't invest some money to take the football side over as it would pay for itself in revenue and possibly subsidise the other Edinburgh Leisure venues it grants money to every year.

So wait let me see if I've got this right.  You want the council to deny the right of a private business to sell their land to a developer and then also force said business to sell their property wholesale to them for a reduced fee, purely on the basis that there is "too much" student accomodation in Edinburgh?  And this sounds *reasonable* to you?

I cant see how the football pitches wouldn't be profitable. I'd hazard a guess they subsidise the sports bar, bowling and snooker Hall.

 It's basically a massive hanger with a janitors office, changing rooms and toilets. The pitches are generally fully booked 6pm-10pm Monday to Thursday and they are also quite popular Saturday daytime and Sunday evening. A conservative figure based on 10 pitches x £60 average per hour x 4 hours full up = £2400 a night Monday - Thursday. 

Obviously the land is more profitable if sold as student flats buy where is the line drawn by the council? Do they just keep allowing Leisure venues to be closed in the name of student accommodation? I don't see why the council couldn't invest some money to take the football side over as it would pay for itself in revenue and possibly subsidise the other Edinburgh Leisure venues it grants money to every year.

Is there any indication from the owners of WoF or WoB (Owned by the same people who own Marcos Pool Hall I believe, Marco's Leisure) that thy WANT WoF to be "saved"?  Its a private business after all, if they don't think they are making enough money from the venture why shouldn't they close it?

My original point still stands. Popular leisure and fitness venues should be protected. 

There was push back when they tried to close Portobello powerleague for flats so hopefully this comes to the same outcome. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/business/portobello-land-sale-pitz-five-side-set-be-halted-564019%3famp

That is completely beside the point. You were stating unequivocally that the World of Football was closing due to student flats. That is 100% incorrect and is used to try and target support from similar uninformed people.

I understand there will be other facilities lost but there is a bowling alley along the road and plenty of snooker and pool nearby too. The football facility is extremely popular and it gives kids and adults a good place to be active and promote a healthy lifestyle. There is no decent alternative and the facility would be a massive loss to the community

The World of Football buildings are not being closed for student flats. The whole site is being developed, with a small proportion of the development proposed to be student accommodation. 

What an odd NIMBY statement to lead a headline on a petition. Hopefully you have done more research than is evidenced in that terribly worded petition.

>Edinburgh urgently needs more affordable housing

That's certainly true - I know a few folks who grew up in Edinburgh, myself included, that live in Fife or the rest of the Lothians and commute because they can't afford to live in Edinburgh itself.

Absolutely agree, hopefully locals and poorer students being priced out of city centres can be dealt with simultaneously. I studied in St. Andrews and it’s a rock and a hard place. They cut the the number of HMOs to help locals stay local but it just raised the prices of HMO approved places and then ended up giving >2 bed flats and houses to students who could afford the whole thing. The only alternatives were extortionate student housing. Solution probably involves capping the prices of the already purpose built student housing and keeping a limit on HMOs but so much of it is privately owned that it would be almost impossible.

Agree to build for the many but 30,000+ students being milked for all they’re worth should be considered, otherwise we end up limiting the people who can actually attend our universities

Tbh I'd rather let locals live than prioritise students the reason student flats are popular is the minimum size is smaller than a 1 bed. 

We need to change the law to stop encouraging builds that legally only students can use.

Build for all, not the select few

The need for affordable accommodation extends to students as well. It’s a joke that we’re making uni free, in the process restricting the number of Scottish students who can go, but then forcing poorer students to live miles away because of housing costs

Ashley Graczyk is local councillor for area and she tweeted:

  
"This is getting ridiculous - Edinburgh urgently needs more affordable housing, not more student accommodations, especially considering all the new ones popping up a stone throw away in #Gorgie #Dalry area Woman facepalming #SighthillGorgie"

https://twitter.com/ashleyannotate/status/1436358175293325320

What world do you live in? Have you any idea how this works ?

I used to be the cleaner there many years ago. Crying shame if it turns into student flats. Hope this doesn't go through. If it does, then I hope the it's not for MORE student flats. Hope it's for cooncil hooses...sorry, social housing.

*Wry smile

Lol
We don't have to live in a Laissez-Faire highest bidder feudal system nightmare... yet.

Please stop the closure of World of Football for student flats