The housing crisis is real, and although solutions are there to be had, politicians are doing little to solve it except to make it more difficult and complain, writes Herald columnist John McLellan.

Most days we walk our dogs around Easter Craiglockhart Hill, which just over a decade ago was the scene of what was at times a hysterical campaign to prevent a former Victorian mental hospital in the grounds being converted to flats and town houses.

The objection was the loss of green space and a much-loved local amenity, with fears of the hill being turned into some sort of gated community for well-heeled retirees. “Stop the rape of Craighouse”, said one ill-judged sign in the front window of a nearby house.

Through consultation the plans took local fears into account, and the expanded nature reserve under Edinburgh Council ownership is enjoyed by dog walkers like us every day, as it was before. It’s a very good development and if anything more accessible than when the buildings were briefly part of Napier University’s sprawling property empire. Mountain-biking Mamils are a pain, but that’s another story.

But amidst the housing emergency hullabaloo, and unsatisfied demand for all types of homes, it’s remarkable that over ten years after planning permission was granted the site still isn’t finished. Not because of developer land-banking or any other anti-capitalist conspiracy theory, but ongoing wrangling with the council over demands for an increased contribution to cover projected education costs.

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Such “Section 75” payments to help cover the expense of infrastructure necessary to service new developments are not unusual, but........

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