Princes Street and the Waverley Valley

We asked for your feedback on the Draft Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy, which supports delivery of City Plan 2030 and Edinburgh City Centre Transformation and will guide change and co-ordinate investment in this part of our city centre to:

• Renew buildings with a mix of retail and leisure uses
• Improve pavements and public spaces
• Manage change to Princes Street Gardens and its facilities
• Shape the future of Waverley Station and the area around it

Consultation took place between 19 November 2024 and 21 February 2025 with a mix of in-person and online engagement, as well as workshops with city schools.

Key Findings 

Overall, 95% of the measures proposed in the Strategy were supported. 83% of respondents considered the consultation allowed them to have their say.

• Most respondents said their reason for going to this part of the city centre was to travel by public transport, followed by using shops and services, visiting the gardens, for work, and finally for other leisure activities such as events.  
• Respondents were most satisfied with the efficiency of public transport and the quality of the gardens but least satisfied with the selection of shops and services, and the condition of streets and paved spaces.  

Blocks, Buildings and Uses – A revitalised Princes Street 

• Most respondents feel food and drink use is adding to the street’s appeal. 
• A range of design principles for development were supported, alongside retaining existing links through buildings and activating rear lanes. 
• Bringing upper floors into active use is supported but may affect undisturbed features of heritage value. 
• 74% of respondents support use of decorative hoardings and scaffold wraps during construction. 
• Pop-up uses are welcomed with 68% of respondents supportive but stakeholders advise leases and business rates can be a barrier to this approach. 
• Overall, 65% of respondents considered the Strategy will help to revitalise the street. 
• Drop-in visitors and children and young people called for a need to retain shops and services that support liveability.  
• Drop-in visitors wished to see design standards raised and more use made of the Edinburgh Urban Design Panel. 
• Several stakeholders feel the street’s outlook is positive, with few vacant units and several major developments underway.  
• Three central community councils (New Town and Broughton, Old Town and West End) consider that a clearer vision is needed, to define the street’s purpose within the City Centre and to enhance its heritage. 

Public Realm and Mobility – A More Accessible and Welcoming Place 

• All of the proposed public realm improvements were supported, with resurfaced footways being the top priority. Improved pedestrian crossings and wider pavements at the east end are also strongly supported. 
• New public seating areas (also referred to as ‘placemaking projects’) and the West Garden links were ranked as second and third priorities respectively. Central community councils wished to see garden access plans expedited. 
• Stakeholders expect measures to be high quality, with consistent street furniture across the New Town and proper maintenance of improvements. 
• Most respondents didn’t support segregated cycle lanes along the full length of Princes Street (60% against and 22 % for).  
• There was an even split (39% for and 39% against) in terms of improving provision for cycle lane connections at the street’s east and west ends.  
• Some members of the public and stakeholders felt provision for cycling should be viewed in the context of planned cycle network on George Street and Queen Street, without trying to fit everything onto Princes Street. 
• Living Streets Edinburgh Group are concerned that footways are narrow, and cycle segregation and floating bus stops would further impact on available space. 
• Spokes consider that junction improvements and end-to-end cycle segregation on Princes Street are essential. 
• Lothian Buses support measures to improve footways and public transport efficiency but full cycle segregation would impact services. 
• Young people in particular were concerned about over-crowded areas. 
• There’s a need to continue to communicate the big picture of all City Centre Transformation projects. 

Princes Street Gardens – Enhanced Green Spaces 

• People value the Gardens as a place to walk or wheel, take a route across the city centre, get fresh air and for tranquillity and relaxation. 
• Improvements to / provision of public toilets, cafes and furniture, and planting for nature and climate change would encourage people to visit the Gardens, alongside organised activities on environmental matters, culture and history. 
• 12% of respondents would join a Friends Group and 14% volunteering activities, with stakeholders wishing to see local businesses represented. 
• Over 50% of respondents supported keeping and improving the Ross Bandstand, compared to 33% who preferred its replacement. 
• 70% support redesign of the bandstand’s amphitheatre to improve access and its usability. 
• Children and young people called for more age-appropriate spaces for play, for teenagers to socialise and for wellbeing. 
• Stakeholders and member of the public valued the Gardens diverse features and care they receive from the gardeners. 
• Improvements, such as those to access and facilities, must be carefully balanced to preserve the Garden’s unique character. 
• Some wished to see the improvement plans for the Gardens set out in detail as part of the Strategy, instead of as a subsequent phase its delivery. 

Waverley Station Place Brief 

• The Place Brief was highly supported, in particular the need to respect the station’s heritage and city views, provision for public toilets, and improvements to accessibility and interchange. 
• Stakeholders and members of the public wished to see the public realm around the station improved, including wayfinding and pick up and drop-off/interchange. 
• Enforcement of on-street parking and vehicle idling violations near the station and reducing short-stay parking provision, would discourage travel to the station by car. 
• The improvement of the Waverley Market rooftop space received over 70% support and was viewed as a priority by several stakeholders. 
• The Waverley Bridge placemaking project is welcomed as a key arrival space. It should allow for loading to the station and Waverley Market.  
• Some stakeholders wish to see Waverley Bridge returned to providing public transport interchange, however some stakeholders welcomed improvement of its public realm as a key arrival space, alongside 68% of survey respondents. 
• Redevelopment of land at East Market Street was supported by over 50% of respondents, with 71% wishing to see views across the valley maintained as part of this. 
• The Access Panel wish to see clear segregation as part of any north-south walking, wheeling and cycling link bridge. 
• Spokes wish to see increased cycle parking and quality bike access into the station, supported by a cycle hub. 

We revised the Strategy in response to your feedback. A draft finalised strategy for Princes Street and Waverley Valley (including a Report of Consultation) was presented to the Council’s Planning Committee on 12 November 2025.

The decision by Committee was not to adopt the strategy at this stage but for officers to convene an elected member/officer/stakeholder workshop, bringing together those with transport, culture, heritage and placemaking expertise so a more ambitious and exciting strategy can be brought forward for approval.  

The outcomes of the workshop will inform an updated Strategy which, depending on the need for further consultation and studies, may be brought forward by the end 2026.