Meeting Venue for 5pm 22nd April 2012

This is to confirm that the meeting scheduled for Sunday 22nd April will take place at 5pm. We shall meet at the Central Youth Hostel on Haddington Place. We'll be in the cafe area which is to your right hand side when you enter, where you can get tea/coffees/drinks. We look forward to seeing you there. Catriona for BSORA

Next BSORA meeting: 5pm Sun 22 April 2012

Dear all,

In order to maintain the momentum that we have established in working to repair and maintain our building, we agreed that we would meet again in April.

To ensure that we meet our obligation of giving at least 2 weeks notice, I suggest that this now be held on Sunday 22 April at 5pm. (Venue to be confirmed as I'm not sure if the Clan Campbell will still be open prior to its proposed closure for refurbishment - NB venue to be Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel on Haddington Place.

So far on the agenda we have:

• Minutes of the last meeting - review and agree that these are a fair record of the meeting.
• (These will be posted separately here within 2 weeks of the meeting). Click here for a copy https://docs.google.com/open?id=14PszvDxIMXnBleL0k9_wtAIxYNfOIkNqiWeHxC_7vXYmdEd85eCUtYeoW76A

• Constitution - review and agree the edits made to the draft following the last meeting.
• (This will be posted here - click here for a copy https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rxnN5P3Nj7O-R9l5WXiAbB5BMhGq39Bnreciw7grgK4/edit)

• DM HALL's Services - review the fee quote received and decide if we agree to employ their professional services to project manage the required works. (Link to the Fee Quote and also the Scope of Service)

• Finances - Review progress on establishing a BSORA bank account, and what funds are required to kick start it (possibly connected to the above).

• 3F3 Attic Conversion Proposals - Review the plans to alter the commonly owned roof structure above 3F3, consider the impacts and issues they may raise. (See separate posting on here).

• Communication - I have reissued invitations to all owners to become 'authors' which will enable you to post here. This is also a reminder that you can post comments to any posts.

If anyone else has anything else that they would like to be added to the Agenda, please let us know before 15 April 2012.

Kind regards,

Catriona

Proposed Conversion of 3F3's Attic Space

You may or may not be aware already of Andy Anderson's intention to convert the attic space above his flat at 3F3.


Those resident in the stair are likely to have noticed that work actually commenced on 13 March 2012.


'Information packs' have apparently now been posted (second class) to each property last week, so should arrive at some point this week, however some details are available here.

• Architect's plans - dated 22 November 2011 
• Structural surveyor's plans - dated 4 January 2012. 
• City of Edinburgh Council - Building warrant application - lodged 10 January 2012 (currently pending).
• Covering note from Andy Anderson - undated but to be taken as 28 Mar 2012

NB: These proposals presume the relocation of the existing access hatch to the roof space and include the introduction of velux windows to the communally owned roof structure. 


Under the Tenement Scotland Act (2004) the roof itself is 'scheme property', and therefore bears a mutual responsibility to repair and maintain.  The consent of a majority of owners must be gained before any alterations can be made.


Please read these through carefully so that you are aware of the implications to you and your property.  Comments can be made below.

Brunswick Street Owners and Residents Association Meeting at 5pm Sunday 4th March 2012

Dear all,

This is to remind you that we have our next meeting scheduled for 5pm on Sunday 4th March 2012 to which all owners, their representatives and/or tenants are invited.

I am delighted to let you know that Hamish Grant, the new owner of the Clan Campbell Hotel at 11 Brunswick Street has agreed to let us use his facilities, so we shall meet there again. (There is currently no license at the hotel but teas and coffees will be available and Hamish has also offered to update us on his plans for the hotel).

The main purpose of this meeting will be to review and agree a draft constitution which will be circulated/posted on the blog separately.

Please let us know if you will or will not attend or be represented so that we can anticipate the numbers.

Many thanks and we look forward to seeing you there.

Catriona

for

BSORA

Outcome of the Meeting held on Sunday 22nd January 2012

Dear all,
Many thanks to those that attended the meeting held in the Clan Campbell Hotel this Sunday evening. More comprehensive notes will be issued in due course, but in summary: there was agreement that in order to better manage the challenge of maintaining our building and coordinating the works required, an Owners' Association and Committee be formed. The outcome of this is that 3 office bearers (Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) have now been elected in addition to 2 general members. This committee will work initially to develop a constitution outlining the purpose and powers of the Association. (The next meeting, to review this, will be held at 5pm on Sunday 4th March 2012 venue tbc). Thereafter, the committee will work to review the recent Building Survey Report in order to prioritise the various aspects of maintenance work required to protect

• the physical structure and fabric of the building;
• the ongoing upkeep;
• and the general community that is 46 Brunswick Street.

All owners/owners agents of properties in the building are welcome to attend any meeting and are actively invited to comment on any aspect of what has been proposed. (Tenants are also welcome to participate).
In the meantime, thank you from your new committee, namely:

• Chair - Catriona Macmillan (3F2)
• Secretary - Kate Miguda (47a Montgomery)
• Treasurer - Alan Duff (3F1)
• Member - Gavin Dickson (2F3)
• Member - Sharon & Simon Saffery (1F1)
• Member - Joseph Carlini (47 Montgomery)

Block Meeting to Discuss the Survey Report

Hello all, Having by now had a chance (I trust!) to digest the full building survey report that was commissioned and produced in November 2011, it would seem wise for us all to get together as soon as we can to discuss the content and - perhaps more importantly - the implications of it. Clearly, there is essential maintenance work required:

• in the short term (i.e. within the coming months),
• in the medium term (i.e. within the next 2-3 years, say)
• and in the long term(i.e. within the next 10 years)

as well as the (less exciting but just as important) regular ongoing maintenance that we should be doing every year.

I invite you all to join me on Sunday 22nd January 2012 at 5pm.

(So that we have room for everyone, the owner of the Clan Campbell Hotel, 11 Brunswick Street has kindly agreed to let us use his dining room from 5pm-7pm).

Please could you confirm back to me (before Friday 20th January) that you will be able to attend, or if you are unable to be there yourself please let me have the name of the person(s)who may attend on your behalf. It would be helpful if we could get representation from each of the 14 properties within the block.

In addition to the report itself, I would also like to suggest that we consider developing some more formal arrangements such as an Owners'/Residents' Association which would take responsibility for managing the inevitable coordination/communication work that will be required over the coming weeks, months and years. I have noticed that our neighbours round at Dicksonfield on Brunswick Road seem to have an arrangement that we may be able to take some pointers from. Please have a look at their website here before we meet and let me know what you think.

Ok, I look forward to seeing you in two weeks time. Kind regards, Catriona

Happy New Year - Roof Holding - So Far....!!

(Thankfully this chimney on a car was not one of ours - but it easily could have been!)

Happy New Year to you all.

Having just seen these images on the BBC News website tonight of the effects of the strong winds on some Scottish tenement chimneys, I for one am relieved that ours appear to have withstood the gales. I think some masonry did come off a roof in Elm Row and also in Leith, so this really does highlight how important it is that we all take collective responsible for maintaining our building.

As you will by now have seen in the Full Building Survey that we agreed to commission a few months ago, at least one of our chimneys is in a rather delicate condition so we could seriously be said to have had a lucky escape.

Thank you to those of you who have already reimbursed me your share of the fee that I paid on your behalf, and would politely request that others do the same as soon as possible please: as posted on 27 November 2011, the share per property (14 of us) is £42.86.

Many thanks,

Catriona