Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy

With its dramatic views to the Castle, Old Town and the Gardens, Princes Street is a place that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy safely and comfortably, whether that is for

• shopping
• leisure
• culture
• nature
• events
• travel, with the area forming a key part of our bus, tram and rail network.

City Plan 2030, Edinburgh’s new local development plan, promotes development with an appropriate mix of uses and design in our historic city centre. This will be supported by our draft strategy for Princes Street and Waverley Valley.

Over the last few years, the Council has supported cafes and restaurants on the street front to improve Princes Street’s appeal.

The proposals further develop Edinburgh’s City Centre Transformation Strategy (2019) which identified the need to

• enhance the pedestrian experience, to improve crossings and seating, and to create a people focussed place.
• strengthen links between George Street, Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens
• optimise bus routes through the city centre and create a more balanced pedestrian environment
• create a pedestrian plaza at Waverley Bridge, supporting a transformed entrance to Waverley Station.

However, many challenges remain including

Street design and public spaces

• poor walking and wheeling experience with overcrowded pavements
• poor condition and drainage on pavements, not in keeping with the historic New Town materials
• congested crossing points resulting in safety issues
• poor access to West Princes Street Gardens
• limited spaces to stop and spend time in and appreciate the views to the Castle and the Old Town
• poor state of the pavements

West Princes Street Gardens

Like many historic parks, Princes Street Gardens face a number of challenges.

• the ornamental layout and planting was established at a time when parks had large workforces to manage and maintain them.
• original tree planting is maturing and facing threats from disease and climate change.
• the climate and nature crisis require us to manage rainwater sustainably and adapt planting to suit both wet and dry conditions, and to benefit biodiversity.
• inclusive access and fit for purpose facilities are also needed to manage the expectations of all visitors, including residents, shoppers, workers and tourists.

Renewing the Gardens and other key public greenspaces that contribute to the Valley is central to the Council’s Thriving Greenspaces 2050 and will be considered alongside the improvement of surrounding streets and public realm and the area's unique history.

Ross Bandstand

Cultural venues have long been part of Princes Street Garden’s history, from the original 1880s bandstand to the 1930s version we see today.

In 2017, the Ross Development Trust proposed a new pavilion, welcome centre, café and events spaces as part of the £25m Quaich project. The Quaich was not progressed due funding shortfalls, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact on the city’s heritage.

There is a need for an open-air, accessible venue in the city’s cultural landscape to provide for both small civic and community events and larger concerts during the city’s festivals.

Waverley Station

Edinburgh Waverley is a fine surviving Victorian railway station, nestled in the Waverley Valley beneath Waverley Bridge and North Bridge.

Network Rail seeks to reconfigure Edinburgh Waverley to serve the growing needs of rail travel, whilst improving accessibility and passenger facilities.  This presents a significant opportunity to enhance the station’s role as an important gateway to the city.  

The draft strategy sets a Place Brief to guide the improvement of Waverley Station by Network Rail, as well as any change to adjacent land at Waverley Market and the existing car park/operational land at East Market Street.

Safety

We must address safety, particularly in relation to feedback from recent consultations on ‘Women’s Safety in Public Places’, which was both positive and negative. Issues to further explore and address include

• improving lighting
• reduce overcrowding on pavements
• reduce spaces where people can hide
• address antisocial behaviour especially associated with alcohol consumption
• support uses/events which provide more activity at night
• regular cleansing and maintenance including graffiti removal.