The City of Edinburgh Council is inviting residents to share their views on the regeneration of Seafield to make sure it responds to the needs and wishes of the local community.
As a key site for delivering the goals set out in the Edinburgh City Plan 2030, plans for the narrow stretch of land include a new promenade, GP surgery and opportunities for new shops and workplaces.
The coastal site could include as many as 2,700 new homes, with 35% of homes being affordable, to address the City’s housing emergency. Future residents will also benefit from the provision of a heat network which will help keep energy bills down whilst contributing to the city’s net zero targets.
The consultation, which closes on 30 April 2025, will build on the first two stages of engagement and consultation carried out to date.
Residents can attend a drop-in session to discuss the plans, or they can take part in an online survey via the Consultation Hub.
The in-person events will take place on the following dates and times:
As part of our efforts to update the Listed Buildings and Conservation Areasplanning guidance, the City of Edinburgh Council is collaborating with the University of Edinburgh to understand how the guidance can be improved to be more practical and accessible.
The University’s project, Giving Voice to Historic Property Owners, is now recruiting focus group and workshop participants. The project is specifically looking for owner–occupiers (you own the home you are living in) of listed buildings and properties in a conservation area in Edinburgh.
You can check here to see if your property is listed or in a conservation area.
Focus group participants will receive a £10 e-gift card and in-person workshops will end with a catered lunch.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
In this blog, Holly Gray, Student Planner highlights how engagement with young people will help inform the future of West Edinburgh.
As a student planner for the Planning Service, I have been involved in whole range of work. One the highlights so far has been running engagement events at three schools in West Edinburgh: Craigmount High School, Fox Covert Primary School and Cramond Primary School.
These events gave 150 children aged between 10 to 16 the opportunity to share their thoughts on their area and to design their own town.
Through the engagement with young people, we could see that they experience, and interact with places differently so it is important as planners that we consider their thoughts and needs when preparing plans for their local area. This is especially important in Edinburgh where under 16-year-olds make up 15% of the population.
The Royal Town Planning Institute recognises the importance of engaging children in the planning processes; it states that ‘parents, professionals and politicians all have strong views about what is best for children. However, this is from an adult’s perspective, and they may not identify the same issues (or wants) as the children themselves.’
To gather these invaluable perspectives, two different activities were used to spark curiosity and discussion around planning and new development in West Edinburgh.
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
Example of use of the Place Standard Tool
First up was an activity using the Place Standard Tool, which is an interactive tool that facilitates conversations about places. The young people talked about different aspects of their area such as places to play, feeling safe, ability to walk or cycle around, access to facilities and what they felt about their homes. Sharing these views provided us with an insight into what they liked about their area and what could be improved.
The real magic happened in the second activity, when the young people used their new planning knowledge, alongside their brilliant imaginations, to create their own towns.
Craigmount High School
Craigmount High School
Craigmount High School
Craigmount High School
Cramond Primary School
Cramond Primary School
Cramond Primary School
Fox Covert Primary School (
Fox Covert Primary School
Fox Covert Primary School
Fox Covert Primary School
Fox Covert Primary School
Take a look at all their fascinating towns in the slideshow, with town themes ranging from eco-friendly neighbourhoods promoting open space and low vehicle emissions, to more innovative food, sports and animal themed towns! The most notable aspect shared across these diverse towns was the importance given to large and interesting outdoor spaces and public realms. It became clear that the young people saw these spaces as a priority as places to play, spend time and support their development and well-being.
Although many towns had fun themes, we were really impressed by the children’s ability to incorporate important planning elements such as promoting public transport and active travel, mixed used neighbourhoods, distinctive places, a mix of housing, water as a feature and encouraging physical activity. However, certain fast food restaurants did also feature quite a lot!
Time spent at these three schools not only revealed how keen young people are to contribute to the discussion and demonstrate their needs and perspectives, but also how important they are in creating great places. These engagement activities help us to foster a more inclusive Edinburgh, raise awareness of city planning and the opportunities for young people to see planning as a future profession.
A huge highlight of our visit was the overwhelmingly positive feedback received with the teachers telling us that their students had expressed a newfound interest in pursuing a career in urban planning!
We recently updated two of our customer service charters. These refreshed charters set out the service we aim to provide and what happens at different stages of the planning process.
Planning Edinburgh 
You must be logged in to post a comment.