The Public Space Management Plan (PSMP)

Overview

This collaborative engagement closed on 20 January 2021. Conversations were hosted on our Dialogue site — where stakeholders commented on ideas and left ideas for all to see. The original text and links to those conversations are below.

We would like your involvement, input and advice in developing and refining the new Public Space Management Plan (PSMP). We need everyone, decision-makers, the community, organisers, to talk to, listen to and understand each other's position.

The PSMP will set out how Edinburgh manages its public outside space for events, filming and festivals, and it will be based around key principles/guidelines that will apply across the whole of Edinburgh.

These key principles will not apply to the following types of event, where different considerations and protocols apply:

• Demonstrations such as marches, protests and political rallies
• State ceremonies such as coronations, state funerals
• National celebrations such as celebrations of sporting and other achievements of national significance.

Background

A structured and extensive consultation exercise into events and the use of public open space was carried out in 2016 and learning from this exercise was reflected in the Public Spaces Protocol, introduced in 2018.

The Edinburgh Parks Events Manifesto was first published in 2010 and has been developed as a strategic and proactive approach to the planning and managing of events within Edinburgh’s parks and green spaces.

Edinburgh’s commitment to Filming in Edinburgh is sealed in the Film Charter and operational information and advice is detailed in the Code of practice for Filming in Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh Parks Events Manifesto and Public Space Protocol both have the same goals: 

to protect, maintain and enhance the built and natural environment, while also balancing the desire for events and activities with the need for the city to function for the wide range of people who live, work and visit the city.

Late in 2019, Council officers discussed the current management plans, policies and procedures and considered how these could be improved to provide a more comprehensive, joined up approach, particularly given the significant elected Member and public comment on these matters.

What is the Public Space Management Plan (PMSP)

The PMSP will combine public spaces and parks into one document and will set out a strategy for how each of the city’s public spaces can be used. It will set out how Edinburgh will manage public open spaces (parks, greenspace, roads, plazas, squares under Council control) for events, filming and festivals. 

Why take part?

Your views will help to develop and refine the key principles and guidelines for how festivals, events and filming will be managed in public spaces across Edinburgh. You can also help develop and refine area specific conditions, that add a layer of detail to the overarching PSMP and you can suggest how the community can help monitor, refine and revise area conditions to ensure they can adapt to a changing World and to meet Edinburgh’s evolving needs.

The 'Related' documents (below the links to our conversations) give a bit more detail, showing our thinking and what we might have in place when this is completed. You don’t have to read them to engage with these conversations, but they are here if you would like to see a bit more detail.

Links to the conversations on our Dialogue site are below:

PSMP key principles and guidelines

The Public Space Management Plan (PSMP) will set out how Edinburgh will manage public spaces (parks, greenspace, roads, plazas, squares under CEC control) for events, filming and festivals. 

Link to the conversation on key principles and guidelines

Area conditions

These are conditions specific to an area that add a layer of detail to the principles/guidelines. An organiser will need to meet the PSMP principles/guidelines and also the ‘conditions’ for the area they choose for their event, filming or festival.

Link to the conversation on area conditions

Application process for Organisers

This conversation is focused on the application process for organisers of filming, events and festivals on public open spaces. The application process for organisers needs to be clear, efficient, open and transparent. Likewise, the application process for services and stakeholders also needs to be clear, efficient, open and transparent.

Link to the conversation on application process

Community engagement

We have a conversation focused on community engagement. It looks at how the community can be kept informed of proposals, approvals and planned filming, events and festival activity. It considers how feedback from the community will be welcomed and used, and it suggests how the community can help monitor, refine and revise area conditions to ensure they can adapt to a changing World and to meet Edinburgh’s evolving needs.

Link to the conversation on community engagement

Additional stakeholder organisation engagement

We have a conversation for additional stakeholder organisation engagement. It provides an area for stakeholder organisations to engage, when the discussion does not fit within the 4 conversations; PSMP Key principles and guidelines, Area conditions, Application process for Organisers, Community engagement.

Link to the conversation on additional stakeholder organisation engagement 

What happens next

This collaborative engagement will develop and refine the Public Space Management Plan, combining all the above conversations, and will be presented to the Culture & Communities Committee as a draft.

If Committee approve the draft, it will go for public consultation with the final PSMP presented to Committee for approval.