Proposed Lease of Common Good Property: Royal Observatory Blackford Hill Edinburgh EH9 3HJ

Overview

The City of Edinburgh Council is proposing to lease of 260.5 m²  of Common Good land located at Royal Observatory, 21 Observatory Road, Blackford, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ to United Kingdom Research & Innovation. The property to be leased is shown outlined red on the plan below.

It is proposed to improve the public car parking at the site by creating new parking spaces, clearly defining the parking spaces and improving vehicle circulation in and out of the car park. In addition, two (2) Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed for public use.

The Royal Observatory have asked that the Council consider a lease of at least 17 years which would provide them with security of tenure and would be consistent with the existing lease originally granted in 2011.

Blackford Hill forms part of the Common Good Assets of the City. Section 104 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 requires the Council to undertake a public consultation when considering disposing or changing the use of Common Good assets.

Why your views matter

This area of land has Common Good status. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 states that if a local authority wishes to dispose of an area of Common Good land they must consult local communities before taking any decision.

We are now keen to hear the views of the local community and, if there is support for the proposal, we would grant a lease of the land.