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The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The site covers an area of approximately 4.5km2 and contains nearly 4,500 individual buildings as well as ancient monuments, designed landscapes, and conservation areas.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognises World Heritage Sites as places of outstanding cultural, historical or scientific value. For each inscription, the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site is described. These are the attributes which make it exceptional from a global perspective.
Continue reading for more about UNESCO and other UNESCO sites in Scotland.
in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS
in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh - 5 times the number of the Resident Population
Business Register and Employment Survey (NOMIS) 2014of the total of Edinburgh’s population (507,000) resides in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Edinburgh by numbers 2017Attendance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015
Edinburgh by numbers 2017Edinburgh has long been celebrated as a city of international importance: an ancient royal burgh, the medieval Old Town alongside the world renowned eighteenth and nineteenth century classical New Town, all situated in a spectacular landscape of hills and valleys beside the wide estuary of the Firth of Forth.
What makes Edinburgh exceptional in an international context? These are the qualities that led to it becoming a World Heritage Site:
UNESCO requires those responsible for a World Heritage Site have a way to manage it. In the UK, this takes the form of a management plan. This should:
The three partners responsible for managing the site are The City of Edinburgh Council, Historic Environment Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage.
The Council’s planning system identifies listed buildings and conservation areas. The Local Development Plan requires that all new development in the city considers the World Heritage status, and any potential impact on it.
Buildings of architectural or historical interest are listed as category A (national or international importance), B (regional or more than local importance), or C (local importance).
Protect the historic character of an area. Not only buildings, but also features such as trees, parks, paving and street furniture.
Listed buildings and conservation areas are not meant to stop change. They make sure that change happens in a managed way, so that the unique character of the World Heritage Site can be maintained.
The management plan provides guidance on how to achieve this – in a sustainable way that balances the needs of communities and visitors, protects the environment, supports a vibrant cultural scene and strengthens society.
“ Older existing housing looks scruffy and little assistance is available to owners to carry out repairs and upgrading ”
- MaxEnsure ongoing investment in the conservation of the Site
Scotsman Steps
History of Street Lighting Report
Improve streets, stricter rules for public spaces, help with common repairs
Raise awareness of the availability of grants
Support research demonstrating WHS best practice in Edinburgh
Raise awareness of importance of space between buildings: ‘public realm’
Encourage the sustainable re-use of underused and unused buildings
Contribute to climate change agenda through energy efficiency programme
Improve tools for sustaining Outstanding Universal Value
Shopfronts improvement scheme
Inclusion of WHS policy in Local Development Plan
Enforcing planning laws, guidance for property owners, protecting skyline
Ensure OUV of the Site is taken into account in planning decisions
Raise awareness of actions and decisions taken in the WHS
Integrate WHS values in city-wide decisions on Edinburgh’s future
Promote and create opportunities for traditional skills events
“ There is good awareness in some quarters but the importance of World Heritage status is not necessarily that well known or understood ”
- DianaCoordinate actions to ensure broad understanding of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Business Opportunity Guide
World Heritage Day events and materials
Better signage, promotion, information on benefits, significance, history of World Heritage Site
Clarify the qualities of the WHS to help understanding of the OUVs
Publicise and cross-promote actions taken around condition of the WHS
Produce a programme of themed events for residents and visitors
“ Edinburgh is a proud international capital city and should not be ashamed to demand the highest quality of new architecture, respecting the quality of the historic townscape ”
- TonyEnsure development is high quality, architecture embraces WHS context
Better quality of architecture, new developments not in keeping with WHS context
Produce guidance on OUV use in the planning process
Advocate the importance of the skyline study, guide on how to use it
Produce research on appropriate materials for use in the WHS
Influence new development positively within the WHS
Produce place briefs for vacant sites in the WHS
“ While tourism is to be encouraged, there needs to be a balance between commercialism and character ”
- SusanAdvocate for sustainable tourism within the WHS and the city
Concentration of visitors on Royal Mile, tourist shops, informative signage
Explain the value of the WHS to tourism industry and business community
Encourage street cleanliness via Waste & Cleansing Improvement Plan
Understand what sustainable tourism is and promote best practice
“ More should be done towards encouraging education and participation in the planning and development process, to better shape our places and cities ”
- KyleSustain effective partnerships that support WHS management
Confusion over planning decisions, consultations not widely advertised
Engage and involve businesses in the management of the WHS
Communicate with all sectors, coordinate with all stakeholders
Consult widely, provide clarity on how decisions were reached
Other topics not covered in these six themes will be addressed in other ways, like the Council’s Locality Improvement Plan. It has similar aspirations to the Management Plan, and will be used to cover the remaining eight themes.
Here are some of the key achievements under the previous plans:
Restoration of Well Court
Gilmour’s Close energy efficiency project
Twelve Monuments restoration project
Skyline policy produced
Historic Homes guides published
Learning resources on EWH website made available
Edinburgh Art Festival collaboration (Regent Bridge & Scotsman’s Steps)
Partnership Protocol, Design guidance, Change guidance documents produced
Community map published
Trails produced in partnership with businesses
World Heritage Day celebrations
