consultation – Page 2 – Planning Edinburgh

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

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:

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.

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

City Plan 2040 – Participation Statement Questionnaire

How do you want to be involved?

School children discuss what it important to them in Edinburgh around a table with a planner from Edinburgh Council.

We are at the very early stage of preparing City Plan 2040 which will be our next local development plan after City Plan 2030.

Edinburgh’s most recent Development Plan Scheme has further information on the City Plan 2040.

A local development plan is an important planning document. It guides how Edinburgh changes and grows; and how we respond to the big issues facing the city such as providing good places to live and climate change. It is the starting point for making decisions on whether to approve or refuse planning applications. It is important that people, organisations and communities get involved as much as they can to help inform and prepare City Plan 2040

The Development Plan Scheme contains a draft Participation Statement which is a summary of when and how the Council is likely to engage with people during the City Plan 2040 process.

We are required by the Scottish Government to seek the views of the public on what the content of the Participation Statement should be and have regard to any views expressed.

The questionnaire on the Consultation Hub is asking you (or your organisation) on the best ways to keep you informed and to get you involved.

We will use the results of this survey to improve how we engage with people as we go through the City Plan 2040 preparation stages.

You can sign up for updates for City Plan 2040 by joining our mailing list.

Have your say on the future of West Edinburgh

Illustration featuring west Edinburgh landmarks, people travelling and playing as well as buildings, nature and trees.

We would like to hear your views on managing change and developments through three different but connected programmes:

Towards West Edinburgh 2050: proposals on how the area to the west of the city should change in the long-term
West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan: sets out plans to create a new neighbourhood along the A8, next to Edinburgh Airport
Broxburn to Maybury Public Transport and Active Travel Improvements: working with West Lothian Council, we want to improve travel along the A8/A89 between Broxburn and Maybury.

The area to the west of Edinburgh is home to many people and is a place of work or study for others. With its key transport links, and major leisure, sport and cultural activities, it’s an important destination and hub for onward travel to the city, the surrounding region, Scotland and beyond.

We need to manage and coordinate future investment and development in the area to make sure that this growth is well coordinated and supported.

As well as shaping developments, our proposals will;

manage traffic and improve connections
help tackle poverty and make sure growth supports everyone
help us to meet the city’s ambitious net-zero targets

How you can get involved:

get more details about the three programmes and give your views online at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/west-edinburgh
attend a webinar to find out more https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/west-ed-events/
speak to the teams in person on Wednesday 30 August 2023 between 3:30pm and 7:30pm in the Findhorn room in the Marriott Hotel, 111 Glasgow Rd, Edinburgh EH12 8NF (If you have any accessibility requirements, please email cityplan2030@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 469 6163)

You may comment on any or all these programmes. See the website for closing dates for the consultations.

Your views will help us develop our plans going forward. We look forward to hearing from you!

The future of West Edinburgh

People living in and interested in the future of the west of Edinburgh can take part in three public consultations.

The City of Edinburgh Council is asking residents as well as those working and visiting the area how they think it could grow sustainably for future communities to be better connected, cleaner, greener and fairer for all.

There are three linked proposals documents which are open for comment:

These proposals could substantially develop the experience of living and moving around communities in the west of Edinburgh, helping the capital to shape future planning policy and become a net zero city.

To take part in these consultations, visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/west-edinburgh.

Towards West Edinburgh 2050 proposes how we could develop the area over the next 30 years. At this stage there are no detailed proposals but instead an overarching vision to be used as a starting point for discussion. This has been informed by the city’s current City Plan 2030 (used to guide physical development and planning applications) and City Mobility Plan (for transport infrastructure) and, as the document develops, it will be used to evolve these plans over time.

The West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan is a statutory consultation on development to the north of Gogarburn, extending from Eastfield Road in the west to Maybury junction in the east, with Edinburgh Airport and Turnhouse Road to the north. There are a range of new opportunities for housing in this area as set out in City Plan 2030. The aim is to create a new 20 minute neighbourhood with a range of facilities which people will need to live well locally such as schools and medical centres. Feedback will be used to finalise a masterplan which will go to the Planning Committee for approval. The masterplan will then guide future planning applications.

Travel connections for those living, working and visiting West Edinburgh need to be improved, and to support future growth the Capital’s local authority is working with West Lothian Council to look at public transport and active travel links in the area along the A8/A89 between Broxburn to Maybury. Known as Broxburn to Maybury Transport Improvements, this is a major transport improvement project. The project is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The plan is to have better connected communities with major employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities easily accessible. This will also make it easier for more people to make more journeys by bus or by cycling, walking or wheeling.