Local Development Plan – Planning Edinburgh

City Plan 2040 Engagement: What Makes Good Place?

Graphic of typical things you might see in a neighbourhood (coffee cup, house, tree, bike, bus) fitting together like a jigsaw. Test reads: What makes a good place? Tell us about where you live in.

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.

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: 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.

City Plan 2030 Update

Front cover of the proposed City Plan 2030. Text reads "City Plan 2030 - Proposed Plan - September 2021". Picture is of a view of Edinburgh from Arthurs Seat on a sunny day.

City Plan 2030 is continuing its journey towards adoption.

We received the Report of Examination in April 2024 and this is available on the DPEA’s website. The Scottish Government Reporter makes recommendations for modifications, but City Plan 2030 is substantially unchanged in terms of strategy, land allocations, the resultant land supply and policies.

The next step is for City Plan 2030 to be presented to Planning Committee on 19 June to accept the Reporter’s recommendations and to endorse the modified City Plan 2030 as our Local Development Plan.

The Planning Committee papers are available online and you can also watch a live webcast of the meeting.

After Planning Committee, City Plan 2030 will be presented to Full Council on 27 June and if Council is resolved to adopt the plan, it will then be submitted to Scottish Ministers.

Keep up to date on City Plan 2030 progress:

Subscribe to this blog
Follow us on Twitter at @planningedin
Join in the conversation by using the #cityplan2030 hashtag

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.