New life for former gardener's cottage in garden revamp

A LANDMARK cottage in London Road Gardens is set to be changed into a traditional tearoom as green-fingered residents appeal for up to £200,000 to transform the surroundings.

The solitary building, which was a gardener's home but has been empty for a number of years, will be opened to bids from prospective tenants after the city council agreed to transfer from a residential to a commercial lease.

The decision to refurbish and let out the cottage comes after a community group, the Friends of Hillside & Calton, received around 2500 funding from Edinburgh World Heritage and Infinis to draw up plans to transform Hillside Crescent Gardens, opposite the cottage.

Now the team is looking for between 70,000 and 200,000 to create a piece of public art, a pathway and a sensory garden. The group would also like to return some ornate railings that were removed in the 1950s.

Ron Aitken, one of the community volunteers, said: "It's quite a large project, but we'd like to redesign the garden. An original plan was drawn up by William Playfair in the early 19th century, but the recession meant the garden was never transformed. We're looking to keep close to his design.

"We'd like to see a central feature for the Hillside Crescent Garden and we're investigating the possibility of commissioning a new piece of public art. The idea is to find something creative that has a characteristic of the neighbourhood.

"We're looking for a family-friendly garden of which the local community can be proud. At the moment it isn't fulfilling its full potential."

Mr Aitken stressed that the team would be developing the garden in line with what local residents would like to see. He said: "We'll be consulting with the area's residents, everybody will be invited to be involved.

"London Road Gardens are now complete and have a green flag status. We want to get the green flag status for Hillside Crescent Gardens too.

"The potential tearoom was originally a gardener's cottage. Until recently the old gardener's wife lived there, but she passed away a few years ago, so the council have changed the lease.

"The council are set to advertise for a commercial tenant very soon. They're looking for something to be developed that is in keeping with the surroundings. It should be beautiful when restored and enhance the surroundings."

Councillor Robert Aldridge, environmental leader said: "I would like to congratulate the friends group in coming up with some great environmental ideas to improve their local community. The work they are doing at the moment will build on the council's improvements of fixing paths, clearing trees and introducing new planting."

A council spokeswoman added that the council, which leases the cottage from its owner, had performed work to make the building wind and watertight.

It will be put on the market for commercial let in forthcoming months.