{"id":677063,"date":"2026-01-06T06:04:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T06:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/677063\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T06:04:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T06:04:15","slug":"new-public-footpath-to-be-constructed-in-currie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/677063\/","title":{"rendered":"New public footpath to be constructed in Currie"},"content":{"rendered":"

A\u00a0NEW\u00a0footpath running through a farm field in Currie<\/a>,\u00a0on the outskirts of Edinburgh, is set to the constructed after a planning application<\/a> was approved by the council.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The proposed site of the path,\u00a0the Muir Wood Field Path, has for years been used,\u00a0informally<\/a>, as a link between Muir Wood Road\u00a0at one end of the field, and the\u00a0Bloomiehall\u00a0Public\u00a0Park<\/a> in Juniper Green\u00a0on the other end.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The path will now be resurfaced and made permanent at a width of up to 2.5 metres, with uplighters delineating the route, a new lighting arrangement, benches providing rest stops, and drainage installed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The path received objections and letters of support from the local community, while local MSPs backed the plans earlier last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>A NEW footpath running through a farm field in the village of Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, is set to the constructed (C) Bridley Associates<\/p>\n

The plans are described as an \u201cupgrade\u201d to an informal path in planning documents, as the path, which cuts through a farm field and is bordered to the north by a thick treeline, has been used informally for many years now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There have, for some time, however, been complaints about dangers entailed by the muddiness of the path after rainfall and the lack of lighting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new development, which does not yet have an official timeline for construction, hopes to address these fears.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New lighting will be installed, with uplighters delineating the path\u00a0and\u00a0the length of the route will be paved over with a new, solid walkway.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Benches will\u00a0also\u00a0be installed along the route to provide rest points, guardrails will be installed along points of the path, and \u201clow-level\u201d planting to the south of the path will separate the path from the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Drainage plans have been detailed, and five trees along the paths have been outlined for removal to\u00a0facilitate\u00a0the path\u2019s installation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Planning documents\u00a0indicate\u00a0that the 2-2.5m wide path will\u00a0accommodate\u00a0both pedestrians and cyclists.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plans were\u00a0submitted\u00a0by consultancy firm Pell Frischmann on behalf of Currie Community Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n

No\u00a0major issues\u00a0were raised by ecological, heritage, and flooding assessments of the site, and\u00a0the City of Edinburgh Council gave\u00a0its\u00a0greenlight to plans just before the new year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In\u00a0its\u00a0reasons for approving the development, the council said: \u201cThe proposal is acceptable in principle, resulting in the provision of an appropriately designed active travel route, that will contribute to the connectivity of the local area.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe proposal is positive for the climate crisis\u00a0and,\u00a0subject to conditions, results in an enhancement to biodiversity, no negative impact to protected species, and an acceptable impact to trees at the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNo negative heritage or flooding impacts are\u00a0identified. The proposal\u00a0complies with\u00a0the\u00a0development\u00a0plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no material considerations which\u00a0indicate\u00a0that the proposals should be refused. Therefore, the proposals are acceptable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

One member of the public, Mrs Elaine McLernon, who lives in nearby Juniper Green, however, objected to the proposals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a letter of objection, she\u00a0wrote: \u201cI have mixed feelings about this.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0good for walkers but for years it has never put people off crossing the field because\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0bumpy or muddy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who stays\u00a0adjacent to\u00a0Bloomiehall\u00a0Park my concern is at night it becomes a racing track for bikes, with engines, that then continue racing around the park.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why the need for lights? Lights or no lights, as a woman who is told continually to think safe, I certainly would not be crossing a field at night.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been suggested that Edinburgh Council may in turn light\u00a0Bloomiehall\u00a0Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes nobody think of the residents in the\u00a0close proximity\u00a0[sic]?\u00a0[There are]\u00a0Already bouts of\u00a0anti-social\u00a0behaviour,\u00a0why are we encouraging more?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Plans<\/a>Plans for greenery at either side of the path have been detailed (C) Pell Frischmann<\/p>\n

Two locals, however, made their voices heard\u00a0in support of the proposals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Colin McLeod, who lives in Currie, said that the changes will make the path \u201csafer, less muddy, and encourage more active travel\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dave Crow, who also lives in Currie, called the proposals for a guardrail \u201cabsolutely essential,\u201d but asked that better lighting and a speedbump on a nearby road be installed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Early last year, the plans gained the support of local luminaries Scott Arthur MP, Gordon MacDonald MSP, Sue Webber MSP, and council\u2019s transport and\u00a0environment\u00a0convener Stephen Jenkinson.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Prior to that, funding was secured for the project by\u00a0by\u00a0the Juniper Green and\u00a0Baberton\u00a0Mains and Currie Community Councils, through Paths for All\u2019s Ian Findlay Path Fund (IFPF).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Consultants Pell Frischmann were then appointed to put together designs for the proposed path improvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The land is owned by construction firm Taylor Wimpey and currently used as arable land.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Currie Community Council has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n

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