Concept proposals for Meadows to George Street – Streets for People

Challenge

SLR’s Place team was engaged as part of a multidisciplinary team tasked with developing proposals that will provide walking and cycling improvements from Teviot Place along Forrest Road, George IV Bridge and Hanover Street to George Street. As an important part of the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Strategy, it will be one of the first projects to deliver major street improvements along this important corridor that transects through the Old Town, Waverley Valley and First New Town. Running north-south through the heart of the World Heritage Site, achieving high-quality placemaking and public realm are key to the success of the project.

Solution

During 2018, SLR’s Place team worked alongside the lead consultants (Aecom) developing concept proposals for stakeholder and public engagement.The plans include new segregated cycleways, wider pavements, and pedestrian priority areas. The proposals also included the closure of Forrest Road to general traffic and the creation of a new public green space on The Mound. SLR’s Place team was fully involved during the Stage 2 consultation, attending meetings and workshops with key stakeholders including representatives from The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage Trust. SLR’s Place team also worked alongside Aecom facilitating stakeholder workshops where a range of opinions and views were captured, and hosted drop in sessions for the public, residents and local businesses along the corridor. This consultation process has fed into the current development of proposals to a developed design level.

Impact

The proposals for the corridor are being developed alongside a detailed review of constraints and further studies. This includes a historic study of the corridor, a review of underground constraints, discussions with CEC lighting and active travel departments, coordination with other City Centre projects and further dialogue with Edinburgh World Heritage Trust. The integration of play and storytelling is also being developed in discussion with organisations such as the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust.

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2016.