City of Edinburgh Council – Page 2

Air Quality in the Salamander Street area

With partners, the Council has prepared a Draft Air Quality Action Plan that aims to reduce Particulate Matter (PM₁₀) pollution in the Salamander Street Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), Leith.

The plan outlines how air quality issues will be tackled, to meet and sustain statutory air quality objectives, under four themes:

Industrial
Roads and Transport
Development Management
Information to the Public

Emissions from industry, transport and fugitive sources, including port activities and construction sites, will be addressed.

The Council’s priorities and drivers for pursuing actions to improve air quality are based on public health principles. Air pollution is associated with many adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of lung and heart disease, as well as cancer, and evidence is growing in respect to links between air pollution and a decline in mental ability and dementia.

Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with pre-existing health conditions. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion.

*Polar Plots of PM₁₀ Data at Tower Street in 2024*

City Plan 2030 highlights Edinburgh Waterfront area as an opportunity for large scale mixed-use regeneration to help meet the city’s growth needs, particularly for new housing. The City Plan identifies areas for housing-led mixed-use development sites in various ownerships in the Salamander Street AQMA. Some of this land was previously allocated for industry. Other parts of the Port of Leith will continue as industry and the future focus is on the development of Low Carbon / Renewables Enterprise Areas and industry as part of the Green Freeport.

Introducing sensitive uses such as residential properties into an area of poor air quality requires to be undertaken carefully with the appropriate consideration of pollution exposure, potential mitigation and programming of development.

Dust and PM₁₀ emissions from demolition and construction can also be a source of pollution especially for existing residential properties. Such emissions occur during the preparation of the land e.g. demolition, land clearing, and earth moving, and during construction, with a proportion from site plant and road vehicles moving over temporary roads and open ground. If mud is allowed to get onto local roads, dust emissions can occur at some distance from the originating site.

Using the Scottish Government’s R-OpenAir analysis tool, with locally collected pollution data and meteorological data we have been able to show (in the Polar Plots below) that high concentrations of PM₁₀ were associated with known demolition and construction works in 2024.

Developers and landowners need to work together, with the local community and the Council to help reduce this local impact. Control measures such as reducing deliveries by road, vehicle wheel washing, road sweeping/washing, and the use of dust suppressants would all be relevant in addition to general on-site management, mitigation and good practice.

The Council wants to engage with businesses operating in the area or those with interests in the land. One of the actions of the Draft Action Plan is to set up a forum with the Council, housing developers, landowners, businesses and community groups to address the cumulative impact of development on environmental protection matters.

In the meantime, however, we want to hear your views about all the actions in the Plan.

Get in touch by email spatial.policy@edinburgh.gov.uk or via post to the City of Edinburgh Council, Level G.4, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG.

If you require a different format or translation, please also get in touch.

The consultation is seeking views on the Draft Action Plan by 7^th September 2025. Thereafter your participation in the local forum would also be welcome.

Have your say on plans to transform Seafield into a new environmentally friendly neighbourhood

Artists impression of what Seafield could look like in the future. Flats look over the see with a promenade and lots of trees and greenspace.

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:

Portobello Library, 14 Rosefield Avenue, EH15 1AU, Saturday 8 March 10:30-13:30
Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road, EH6 4AE, Friday 21 March 12:30-3:30
Craigentinny Community Centre, 9 Loaning Road, EH7 6JE, Saturday 22 March 10:30-13:30

Calling all historic property owner-occupiers!

As part of our efforts to update the Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas planning 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.

Learn more and sign up on the project information page.

Amendment – Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy – Come and speak to the team

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances tomorrow’s drop in session has had to be cancelled.

Please note the other two drop in sessions will go ahead as planned:

Wednesday 29 January – 3pm to 7pm – Waverley Station main concourse
Monday 3 February – 1pm to 5pm – City Arts Centre, 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE

You can comment on any or all of the proposals on our online survey until 21 Feb 2025.

Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy – Come and speak to the team

*The Waverley Valley includes East and West Princes Street Gardens, including the Ross Bandstand, Waverley Station, Waverley Market and East Market Street.*

Residents, businesses and other interested groups 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, including promoting a mix of shops and services for residents and visitors, protecting the area’s historic and architectural importance, supporting businesses to be more climate resilient, and encouraging temporary ‘pop-up’ uses within vacant units

A 12-week consultation on the draft Princes Street and Waverly Valley Strategy began in November. You can comment on any or all of the proposals on our online survey until 21 Feb 2025.

Come and speak to the team

Over the next few weeks we are holding in-person drop-in sessions for anyone to come and speak to the team:

Thursday 16 January – 10am to 2pm – Central Library foyer, 7-9 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EG

Cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances

Wednesday 29 January – 3pm to 7pm – Waverley Station main concourse

Monday 3 February – 1pm to 5pm – City Arts Centre, 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE

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.
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.
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.
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.

Find out more at edinburgh.gov.uk/princesstreet