Year: 2024

Have your say on ambitious vision for Edinburgh’s city centre

Map of Edinburgh city centre showing the boundaries of the area the consultation is on. The boundary runs on the North along Rose Street, to the East Calton Road Bridge, to the South Princes Street Gardens and to the West Castle Terrace and Lothian Road.

Residents, businesses and other interested groups in the Capital are being asked to comment on a strategy to revitalise Princes Street and the wider Waverley Valley to create a more vibrant and welcoming city centre.

The new vision will guide the long-term regeneration of this part of the city centre, providing a mix of shops and services for residents and visitors, attracting investment and jobs and supporting businesses within an exceptional historic and climate resilient environment. 

A 12-week consultation on the Council’s draft Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy began last week. It aligns with Edinburgh’s Net Zero 2030 ambitions, City Mobility Plan, Edinburgh City Centre Transformation (ECCT) and City Plan 2030.

The Princes Street and Waverley Valley draft strategy is part of bold plans to transform the city centre. The ECCT was approved in 2019 and includes the George Street and First New Town, Meadows to George Street projects.

As well as Princes Street the Waverley Valley area covers East and West Princes Street Gardens, Waverley Station, Waverley Market and East Market Street. 

The draft strategy aims to:

  • People crossing the road and tram lines at a busy crossing point on Princes Street. Buses & shops are in the background.
    Create a more accessible city centre – The masterplan for comment recommends guiding the area from the West End of Princes Street along to Waverley Station to become more accessible, with improvements such as additional ramp access to Princes Street Gardens, a footbridge over the Waverley Valley, more public spaces to enjoy, an improved crossing and pedestrian improvements to Castle Street, the Mound Precinct, and Waverley Bridge.
  • The Ross Fountain on a bright, sunny day. Plants and greenspace surround the fountain. Trees are in the background and a silhouette of Edinburgh Castle sits above.
    Protect green spaces – The strategy looks to integrate climate resilience and biodiversity measures to protect the existing Waverley Valley and Gardens from climate change and to plant more trees and flowers – also promoting sustainable transport options and the retrofitting of historic buildings in line with Edinburgh’s net zero aims.
  • Wide view of Princess Street on a busy day. People fill the pavement and buses are lined up on the road. To the right of the image is Princes Street's mix of architecture and rooftops.
    Revitalise Princes Street – Working with developers, the strategy suggests improvements to Princes Street with temporary pop-up premises, building wraps and artwork and encourages mixed-uses for the prominent high street. Improvements to historic buildings, including the Ross Bandstand, are also suggested to create better opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the area.
  • View of train tracks leading to Waverly Station, with new buildings along the edge of the tracks. In the background is a car park and the edge of Old Town and North Bridge.
    Make improvements to Waverley Station – Shape the future of Waverley Station and the area around it. Its key position between the Old and New Towns makes the station a vital connection between the Old and New Towns. Network Rail’s Waverley Masterplan recognises the need to restore and modernise the station.

Complete the survey by 21 Feb 2025 to have your say on ambitious vision for Edinburgh’s city centre.

National Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey

You’re invited to share feedback on your recent experience with Edinburgh as a planning authority.

The National Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey is live from Monday 18 November for 3 weeks. It is being undertaken by the National Planning Improvement Team in the Improvement Service.

You can find the survey here.

The survey is intended to be filled out by all users of planning authorities in Scotland to collect your views on the service you have received.

This is your opportunity to say what is working and where improvements could be made.

It should only take a few moments of your time, it is completely anonymous, and all your responses help planning authorities improve their offer to you.

The National Planning Improvement Team will publish the results of the survey at the beginning of 2025 and each planning authority will be provided with a breakdown for their area.

The Survey will be an annual survey undertaken by the National Planning Improvement Team in the Improvement Service. This survey is intended to be filled out by all users of the Planning Authorities in Scotland to collect views on the service received.

This is your opportunity to say what is working and where improvements can be made in Planning at the City of Edinburgh Council.

City Plan 2030 now adopted

We are pleased to announce that City Plan 2030 has been adopted and is now our local development plan.

City Plan 2030 sets out our strategy for development, with the proposals and policies helping to shape development and inform planning decisions in Edinburgh.

You can view City Plan 2030 on our website.

City Plan 2030 update

We are pleased to announce that we have received confirmation from the Scottish Government that the Council may proceed to adopt City Plan 2030 subject to modifications.

The modifications are principally minor amendments with the most notable change being an additional criterion for Policy Hou 3 Mixed Communities in relation to addressing local housing priorities by meeting identified gaps in provision.

Before we can adopt City Plan 2030, there are two final statutory stages:

  • Planning Committee on 23 October 2024
  • Full Council on 7 November 2024

We expect City Plan 2030 to be adopted as our local development plan on 8 November 2024. We will provide a further update to confirm this.

City Plan 2030 front cover

City Plan 2030: Intention to Adopt

City Plan 2030 has reached another key milestone in its journey to adoption.

At the meeting of Planning Committee on 19 June 2024 and full Council on 27 June 2024, the Council resolved to adopt City Plan 2030 (as modified).

Following publication of the Scottish Government report of examination on 5 April 2024, the Council has accepted all recommendations and have prepared a modified City Plan 2030 accordingly.

Getting to this stage is a significant achievement for Planning and for all those who contributed. Please note, it is not yet adopted – just intention to adopt.

We have now notified Scottish Ministers of the intention to adopt City Plan 2030 (as modified). The plan can be formally adopted 28 days after notification of the intention to adopt, unless Scottish Ministers direct otherwise. Scottish Ministers may extend the period, direct the Council to consider further modifications to the plan, direct the Council not to adopt the plan or approve the plan themselves. There is no opportunity for any other parties to engage in the process at this stage.

You can view City Plan 2030 (as modified) online.

Printed copies of City Plan 2030 (as modified) and list of the modifications will be available in all Council libraries and Reception, City Chambers, 253 High Street, Edinburgh.

We will keep you updated as to when the plan is adopted.