Tag: planning

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site Management Plan: Further Consultation

(c) Karen Gordon

A further consultation has begun for eight weeks to give the public the opportunity to comment on our proposed World Heritage Site Management Plan before approval by summer 2024.

World Heritage Sites (WHS) are recognised by UNESCO as places of outstanding cultural, historical, or scientific value and are legally protected by international treaties.

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were given WHS status in 1995; recognising the striking contrast and quality in architecture between the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town.

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site Management Plan

A Management Plan identifies issues and opportunities within the World Heritage Site, and sets out priority areas for action to preserve and enhance the site. While the management plan covers a ten-year period, an action plan is developed alongside it focusing on a two-year period.

Between 2021 and 2023, members of the public were consulted on the development of the new Management Plan. This feedback identified five themes of relevance to the management of the World Heritage Site:

  • Awareness, appreciation and activity around World Heritage Site status
  • Climate emergency
  • Conservation and maintenance of buildings and public spaces
  • Control, guidance, and contribution of new development to city centre
  • Sustainable visitor experience

Give us your views by 8 April 2024.

View the BSL video on Instagram:

Planning Helpdesk and Weekly Lists – Christmas and New Year arrangements  

View from Princes Street of Edinburgh Castle covered in snow with a sunset in the background.

The Planning Helpdesk will be closed from Monday 25 December 2023 and will reopen on Wednesday 3 January 2024.

Queries received over this time will be dealt with starting on Wednesday 3 January 2024.

Our online resources and self-service options will still be available 24/7, ensuring that you can find information and resources whenever you need them.

We have a wide range of planning quick guides – these answer a lot of commonly asked questions, including for

Planning guidance gives advice on topics to guide new development. This guidance answers a lot of commonly asked questions for

The Planning Portal is the easiest & quickest way to comment on planning applications. When you submit a comment over the planning portal, we receive it within minutes.

Planning enforcement issues can also be reported online.

Weekly lists & planning advertisements

Please note there will be NO planning weekly lists issued Monday 25 December 2023.

The next weekly list will be issued on Wednesday 3 January 2024.

The following dates apply for the planning advertisement in the Edinburgh Evening News

  • Friday 22 December 2023 – Advertisement
  • Friday 29 December 2023 – NO Advertisement
  • Friday 5 January 2024 – Advertisement

Updated Planning and Enforcement Charters

View of Edinburgh looking West towards the castle from Calton Hill. Cranes tower above New Town & the Dugald Stewart Monument sits in the foreground.

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.

The Planning Customer Service Charter

The Planning Enforcement Charter

The charters set out more specific standards linked to our three main responsibilities which are

  • planning policy
  • development management
  • planning enforcement

The charters provide details of how to contact us and report planning breaches.

We also have a wide range of guidance on our website at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/planning including for

If you still have a question, get in touch!

planning@edinburgh.gov.uk

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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.

Local Place Plans

We are inviting communities across the City of Edinburgh Council area to prepare Local Place Plans in accordance with Schedule 19 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

A Local Place Plan is an opportunity for communities to think about their local area and develop a plan that sets out the types of changes that they want to see. 

It is a new way that communities can really contribute to the planning process as a registered Local Place Plan must be taken into account when we prepare City Plan 2040 (our next local development plan after City Plan 2030).

A Local Place Plan lets communities:

  • Set out a vision for the future of a place
  • Develop proposals for the development and use of land in their area
  • Propose changes to planning policy.

We have more information on our website which explains in more detail what Local Place Plans are, what is involved in preparing one and some resources that might help.

You can also find out more about Local Place Plans at:

Wester Hailes Local Place Plan: Urban Pioneers Landscape Architects