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Edinburgh region city deal needs to look to greener future

Responding to the latest developments on an Edinburgh Region City Deal, Green councillors have welcomed progress but said that a greener future needs to be part of its DNA. 

The city council is working with 5 adjacent councils – East, Mid and West Lothian, Scottish Borders and Fife – to secure a £1 billion package from the UK and Scottish Governments designed to accelerate economic growth and so to pay back the initial investment.

The six-strong Green group of councillors in Edinburgh have welcomed the partnership but called for the investment to have a much clearer focus on the city region as leading the way in green development – such as district heating, public transport and active travel and enhancing the public and green spaces which make the region attractive for companies to come here.

Green Economy spokesperson Cllr Gavin Corbett said:

“The City Deal needs to be a Green City Deal – to be part of the programme DNA. The major investment needs to be in the kinds of projects which will grow the kind of economy we need in the next 20-30 years, not rooted in the past – driving a new deal for transport, improving local food markets, making us less energy reliant, and so on.

“That is why I have asked the Council to take the lead in getting councils, businesses and other organisations together to set out what a green City Deal would look like.”

For more Green views on City Deal see https://staging.edinburghgreens.org.uk/news/city-deal-greener/