Good morning Edinburgh.
Edinburgh City Council plans to invest £55million on flats around the city in a move designed to offer more affordable housing. The money will be used to buy around 600 properties on unfinished sites and could provide a boost to developers in an unpredictable market. The flats will be offered at mid-market rates, around 20 percent lower than their equivalent market value. Among sites expected to be part of the scheme is Leith Docks.
Work has begun on the expansion of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The £85million development will see a new multi-purpose hall, expected to be ready by 2013, and 186,000 square metres of office space added to the centre on Morrison Street. Up to 250 workers will be employed on the site at its peak in what is being billed as one of Scotland's biggest construction projects. Council leader Jenny Dawe said:
"Experience tells us that when we invest in EICC we are investing in the future prosperity of the city and, with a £2.3 billion return forecast over the next thirty years, our long term investment is safe and sustainable through and beyond the current economic downturn."
Reports have suggested that EICC and council bosses hope to attract top pop acts to the new auditorium.
There was also another, more controversial, development starting in the city yesterday as work to erect new barriers at the airport began. Pay machines and lights are also being erected at the drop-off point outside the main terminal.
Today is your last chance to pose questions to BAA about the drop-off levy. Some of our readers believe this issue overhyped. What do you think? Join the discussion and post your questions here.
Hospitals in the Lothians face a £5million increase in costs as a result of new business rates. These will increase 38 percent in April, leaving many businesses with vastly bigger bills. Up to 2,000 businesses plan to appeal the increase, according to the Evening News. NHS Lothian is already facing cost-reducing initiatives, with up to 2,000 posts set to be cut.
Trams update
Relations between Bilfinger Berger- the consortium building the tram infrastructure- and the body overseeing the project have improved, with an amicable settlement possible soon. An ongoing dispute between the group and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh looks set to end with a full breakdown of costs and timescales for the project hopefully being provided by the end of today.
On the blogs, Edinburgh Reporter has a lowdown of awards in the city, with Cycling Scotland offering a Cycle Friendly Employer Award.
Coming up
If you are looking for something to do in the capital this weekend, there is no shortage of options. The Edinburgh Art Festival launched yesterday, with impressionist artists, including Monet and Renoir, topping the bill.
Today sees the launch of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. Details, including the full programme, are available on the Festival's website.
This evening, thirty brave individuals will be walking barefoot over 20ft of broken glass to raise money for charity. The event at Edinburgh Zoo includes five volunteers from Junior Chamber International in Edinburgh who are hoping to raise £1200 for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Baranrdo's Caern Project.
The weekend is also your last chance to sign up for the start of the Edinburgh Cycle Challenge. The project aims to get 400 people in Edinburgh to take up cycling during August, offering prizes for people encouraging their friends to get their bikes out.
Finally, anybody who has passed Princes Street Gardens in the last couple of days may have noticed this. It's the central attraction at Festival in the Sky, which will be offering the chance to eat 100ft in the air throughout August. We will be checking it out over the weekend, and will post an update on Monday.
