Essential Edinburgh Annual General Meeting 2025
Networking with breakfast bites
Denzil Skinner, Chair
Welcome
Richard Murphy Architects
Richard Murphy OBE, Director
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive
Annual Review April ‘24 – March ‘25
Denzil Skinner, Chair
Official Business
A Vision for Princes Street
Proposed Plan - Frederick Street Closure
>Close Frederick St in the manner of Castle St and reroute the 3 buses that use it to Hanover St.
The Proposed Plan - Existing North Side Bus
>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops
>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops
>Proposed grouping of 3 Bus Stops on the north side on the axis of Castle Street. There is space for two buses per stop.
>Proposed grouping of 3 Bus Stops on the north side on the axis of Frederick Street. There is space for two buses per stop.
The Proposed Plan - Existing South Side Bus
>Existing Group of 2 Bus stops
>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops
>Proposed grouping of 2 Bus Stops on the north side on the axis of Castle Street. There is space for two buses per stop.
>Proposed grouping of 3 Bus Stops on the north side on the axis of Frederick Street. There is space for two buses per stop.
The Proposed Plan - New Cycle Paths >New Cycle Path >New Cycle Path
>Expanded north side pavement
Existing Street Section >
Existing Street Section >
Existing Street Section >
Proposed Street Section >
Existing Street Section >
Proposed Street Section >
Existing Street Plan
The Proposed Plan - Potential for Kiosks
Thomas Heatherwick Kiosks, Kensington
Jean-Michel
Wilmotte
Kiosks, Cannes
Existing Section - South Side Pavement & Gardens
Proposed Section - South Side Pavement & Gardens
Proposed Plan
Gardens -
>New Restaurant Units
>Restaurant Servicing
>5 Servicing of shops: virtually all existing shops are serviced from Rose St Lane South.
>Existing shops - serviced from Rose St Lane South
>Existing shops - serviced from the front
> 5: Existing shop servicing arrangements
>6 Trees: 31 trees need to be felled. In summer, many of these block the view of the castle. 35 trees would be planted on the north side and 17 trees on the south side in addition to those retained.
> 6: Proposed new Trees
>7 Statues and monuments. The AmericanScottish monument would be untouched but reset. All other statues could be re-sited at Princes St level to better advantage considering the increase in public space.
> 7: Monuments. Red identifies those remaining in the same location, and blue represents those relocated
>8 Public space: on the north side 558m2 of extra space would be created; on the south side at street level 3441m2 of extra space would be created; on the south side at gardens level 721m2 of extra space would be created. Overall there would be a 45% increase of public space.
> 8: PROPOSED Public Space - street level
> 8: EXISTING Public Space - garden level
> 8: PROPOSED Public Space - garden level
A Vision for Princes Street
Roddy Smith Chief Executive & Director
O M O T I N G
N H A N C I N G
P R O T
E C T I N G
PC Ehssan Sanii & Nick Harrold
E N G A G
I N G
N G A G I N G
Challenges for 2026
• TVL Introduction
• Westminster and Holyrood Budget
• Holyrood election/Council elections 18 months away
• Business rates review/ Business costs
• Tax Free Shopping
• Hotel completions
• Essential Edinburgh renewal ballot
QUESTIONS
Denzil Skinner Chair, Essential Edinburgh
Formal AGM Business
