Essential Edinburgh AGM Presentation 2025

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

01 A Brief Historical Note

the James Craig Plan, 1768 >

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

01 A Brief Historical Note

02 Princes Street Today

02 Princes Street Today

02 Princes Street Today

02 Princes Street Today

02 Princes Street Today

The Mound

Frederick Street

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

02 Princes Street Today: The Existing Plan

>Close Frederick St in the manner of Castle St and reroute the 3 buses that use it to Hanover St.

The Mound

Frederick Street

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

03 The Proposed Plan - Frederick Street Closure

>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops

The Mound

>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

Stops

Frederick Street

03 The Proposed Plan - Existing North Side Bus

>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 Mound

>Proposed grouping of 3 Bus Stops on the north side on the axis of Castle Street. There is space for two buses per stop.

Frederick Street

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

03 The Proposed Plan - North Side Bus Stops

>Existing Group of 3 Bus stops

The Mound

>Existing Group of 2 Bus stops

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

Stops

Frederick Street

03 The Proposed Plan - Existing South Side Bus

Frederick Street

The Mound

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

03 The Proposed Plan - South Side 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

>New Pedestrian Crossin g

> New Crossing

>New Pedestrian Crossin g

>New Pedestrian Crossin g

>New Pedestrian Crossin g

The Mound

S. Charlotte Street

Pedestrian Crossing

Castle Street

> New Pedestrian Crossings

Frederick Street

03 The Proposed Plan - New Pedestrian

03 The Proposed Plan - New Cycle Paths

Frederick Street

The Mound

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

>New Cycle Path

>New Cycle Path

03 The Proposed Plan - New Cycle Paths >New Cycle Path

>New Cycle Path

>Expanded north side pavement

The Mound

Frederick Street

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

03 The Proposed Plan - North Side Pavement

03 The Proposed Plan - North Side Pavement

03 The Existing South Side Pavement

Frederick Street

The Mound

Castle Street

S. Charlotte Street

03 The Proposed Plan - South Side Pavement

>Enhanced & expanded south side pavement

03 The Proposed Plan - South Side Pavement

03 The Proposed Plan - South Side Pavement

04 Proposed Section

Existing Street Section >

Proposed Street Section >

04 Proposed Section - North Side Pavement

Existing Street Section >

Proposed Street Section >

6.62 m

10.95 m

04 Proposed Section - South Side Pavement

1.25m 3.52 m

Existing Street Section >

Proposed Street Section >

19.30 m

04 Proposed Section - Carriageway

7.78 m

Existing Street Section >

1.5 m Proposed Street Section >

7.78 m

3.65 m

3.65 m

1.5 m

04 Proposed Section

6.62 m

1.25 m

Proposed Street Section >

19.30 m

7.78 m

3.65 m

3.65 m

1.5 m

Existing Street Section >

7.78 m

1.5 m

3.52 m

8.85 m

10.95 m

04 Proposed Section

Existing Street Plan >

Proposed Street Plan >

04 Proposed Section - Other Examples

04 The Proposed Plan - South Side Pavement

04 The Proposed Plan - Potential for Kiosks

Thomas Heatherwick Kiosks, Kensington >

Jean-Michel Wilmotte Kiosks, Cannes

05 Existing Section - South Side Pavement & Gardens

05 Proposed Section - South Side Pavement & Gardens

03 The Proposed Plan - South Side Pavement

06 The Gardens Proposed Plan

06 The Gardens Proposed Plan

>New Stair & Ramp

>New Stair

>New Stair

>New Stair

>New Stair & Ramp

06 The Gardens - Proposed Plan

>New Lift

>New Lift

>New Lift

>New Lift

06 The Gardens - Proposed Plan

>New Restaurant Units

06 The Gardens - Proposed Plan

>Restaurant Servicing

06 The Gardens

06 The Gardens

06 The Gardens

06 The Gardens

06 The Gardens

06 The Gardens - Other Examples

07 Diagrams >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

07 Diagrams

>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 : E X I S T > 8: I PROPOSED Public Space - street level N G P u b l i > 8: EXISTING Public Space - garden c level S p a c e > 8: PROPOSED Public Space - garden level s t r e e t l e v

A Vision for Princes Street

A Vision for Princes Street

Roddy Smith

Chief Executive & Director

PROMOTING Square Cinema 2024

PROMOTING

ENHANCING

PROTECTING

PC Ehssan Sanii & Nick Harrold

ENGAGING

ENGAGING

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

Thank you for your time.

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