We have taken the decision to extend the consultation to Friday 3 April to give more people the opportunity to tell us what we should improve in the draft.
A Conservation Area Character Appraisal explains what is special about a particular area and why it is a conservation area. It outlines its historical development and identifies the key elements, essential features and special qualities that contribute to its unique character and appearance.
In 1977 Gilmerton was designated a Conservation Area which aims to protect its unique agricultural and mining heritage and qualities for the future.
The current appraisal was adopted in 2000. Since then, Gilmerton has evolved and we need to update the character appraisal to reflect Gilmerton Conservation Area today.
You can access the draft appraisal and the consultation here.
The way we make decisions on planning applications has changed. From Monday 2 February all decisions are following a revised Scheme of Delegation.
This follows approval from Scottish Ministers on 27 January 2026.
The revised Scheme of Delegation gives officers decision-making powers on behalf of Councillors.
What does this mean?
New applications validated on or after Monday 2 February will be determined using the revised scheme.
The revised scheme continues to ensure that decisions on applications that raise no significant planning issues are made efficiently within the context of the relevant legislative context and the Development Plan.
It also ensures that Committee scrutiny is appropriately focused on the applications of widest public interest and greatest significance to the city.
Edinburgh is the busiest Planning Authority in Scotland and processes a high volume of applications. It is in the public interest for Edinburgh to have effective delegation arrangements in place to help manage the high volume of applications.
The revised scheme of delegation is an important component in ensuring efficient and effective decision-making.
A Conservation Area Character Appraisal explains what is special about a particular area and why it is a conservation area. It outlines its historical development and identifies the key elements, essential features and special qualities that contribute to its unique character and appearance.
In 1977 Gilmerton was designated a Conservation Area which aims to protect its unique agricultural and mining heritage and qualities for the future.
The current appraisal was adopted in 2000. Since then, Gilmerton has evolved and we need to update the character appraisal to reflect Gilmerton Conservation Area today.
The questionnaire is asking about the draft appraisal;
Our Planning Helpdesk (which operates as an email and call-back service) will be closed from 22 December 2025 and will reopen on 5 January 2026. Queries received over this time will be responded to when we re-open.
Our online resources and self-service options will still be available 24/7 during this time, ensuring that you can find information and resources whenever you need them.
We have a wide range of planning quick guides aimed at householders – these answer a lot of commonly asked questions, including for
The quickest & easiest way to comment on planning applications is on the Planning Portal. When a comment is submitted over the Planning Portal, we receive it within minutes.
There will also be NO planning advertisement in the Edinburgh Evening News on the following dates:
Friday 26 December 2025
Friday 2 January 2026
The week commencing Monday 5 January 2026 will see things go back to normal – the helpdesk will re-open, with the weekly list issued & an advertisement on Friday 9 January 2026.
Full details of Council services at Christmas and New Year, including emergency contacts, can be found on our website.
Season’s Greeting to all our customers and wishing you a happy 2026.
We know that Edinburgh is not just one place, but it is made up of many different areas. Each with its own good points and challenges.
We need to get an understanding of each area, what it’s like to live there and what we need to plan for in City Plan 2040.
To gather people’s views, we have launched a public engagement asking people ‘what they think about where they live’.
The questionnaire covers the important things that make a good place such as homes, local shops and services, healthcare, public transport, open space, play facilities, community space and jobs .
If you live in Edinburgh, you can find out more and fill in the questionnaire on our Consultation Hub here
There are also a series of drop-in events:
Monday 3 November at the Waverley Court (Hawthorn Learning Space) from 14:30-19:30
Saturday 8 November at the Gyle Shopping Centre (Main Concourse) from 12:00-15:00
Tuesday 11 November, Kirkliston Parish Church Hall from 15:30-18:30
Wednesday 12 November, Sighthill Library/ Gate 55 from 16:00-19:00
Monday 17 November at Oxgangs Library (Community Room) from 16:00-19:00
Tuesday 18 November at Drumbrae Library Hub (Parkgrove Room) from 15:30-19:00
Wednesday 19 November at Magdalene Community Centre from 15:30-19:00
Friday 21 November at North Edinburgh Arts Centre (Theatre Suite) from 16:00-19:00
Saturday 17 January 2026 at Cameron Toll Shopping Centre from 11:30-14:30
City Plan 2040 Update
City Plan 2040 will be our next local development plan after City Plan 2030.
There are several formal stages that we need to go through as we prepare City Plan 2040. We have produced a Development Plan Scheme which explains these stages and sets out the timetable for the plan preparation.
Currently, we are working on our Evidence Report which is the first stage of preparing a local development plan. This will contain topic papers on a wide range of issues.
The Evidence Report will provide a baseline of information and what we might need to address in City Plan 2040.
Planning Edinburgh 
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