The Old And New Towns Of World Heritage Site

A Short Guide

April 2019

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United Nations Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World Cultural Organization Heritage List in 1995 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019

Contents Introduction

This short guide is an introduction to the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site (WHS), its inscription on the World Heritage List, and its management and governance. It is one of a series of Site-specific short guides for each of ’s six WHS.

Introduction 1 For information outlining what World Heritage status is and what it means, the responsibilities

and benefits attendant upon achieving World SHETLAND Old and New Towns of Edinburgh: Key Facts 2 Heritage status, and current approaches to protection and management. See the The World Heritage Site 3 World Heritage in Scotland short guide. See Further Information and Contacts for more information. Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 4 ORKNEY

1 Kirkwall Managing the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh 5

Planning and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh 7 Western Isles Stornoway

Further Information and Contacts 9 St kilda 2

Inverness

Aberdeen

World Heritage Sites in Scotland Perth KEY:

1 Heart of Neolithic Orkney 6 5 2 St Kilda 3 Edinburgh 3 Frontiers of the Roman Empire: 4

4 New

5 OLD AND NEW TOWNS OF EDINBURGH

6 Forth Bridge Cover image: View of the Old Town and Castle © CEC

World Heritage in Scotland World Heritage in Scotland 1 A Short Guide April 2019 A Short Guide April 2019

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh: Key Facts The World Heritage Site

• Inscribed on the World Heritage List in • The Old Town was overlaid in the late 18th THE OLD AND NEW TOWNS OF EDINBURGH offer sophisticated layers of protection beyond 1995 as a cultural WHS. century and early 19th century with wide The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS is that of a traditional buffer zone. The Skyline streets as a result of the City Improvement located at the heart of Scotland’s capital city, Study defines the dramatic topography of • The Site contains nearly 4,500 individual Acts and commercial ventures. Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill, the Firth of Forth and buildings, of which over 75% are listed due covering some four square miles of the urban area. It includes certain areas where World surrounding hills as the additional attributes to special architectural or historic interest. • There are many open spaces and graveyards critical to the understanding, and therefore throughout the Site. Heritage status might be used to inspire careful • The WHS also contains Scheduled redevelopment and excludes other areas that the protection, of the WHS. Monuments, the best known being • The Old Town contains two 12th century act as natural buffers (such as Holyrood Park Edinburgh Castle. burghs with two early royal palaces (one and the Meadows). within the castle), a medieval abbey, • The Site represents a remarkable blend of and a wealth of early buildings. There is no formal buffer zone around the two urban phenomena: the organic medieval Site. The main objective outside the World growth and the eighteenth and nineteenth • The New Town contains a high concentration Heritage boundary is to protect the iconic century town planning. of world-class neo-classical buildings, skyline, and the key views in and out of the remarkably intact. Site, as well as its setting. National guidance, • The WHS has retained its historic urban form alongside conservation areas and listed and character to a remarkable extent. • The WHS contains the dramatic river valley building designations and a Skyline Study, of the Water of Leith. The valley contains the • In the New Town the integrity of the street original mill settlements of Bell’s Mill, the layout is a key defining factor of its character. village of Dean and part of Stockbridge. In the Old Town the ‘spine and ribs’ pattern of the High Street and its closes and wynds maintains the medieval street and its associated land holding pattern.

The WHS boundary for Old and New Towns of Edinburgh; image reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with permission of the controller Upper Bow, Old Town. Edinburgh skyline. of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office © Crown Copyright; Licence no 100023420.

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Statement of Outstanding Managing The Old and New Towns Universal Value of Edinburgh

Each WHS has a Statement of Outstanding architecture or technology, monumental arts, KEY MANAGEMENT PARTNERS Universal Value (SOUV) which provides a clear town-planning or landscape design. The partners in managing the Old and New the OUV and public benefit of the WHS, understanding of the reasons for the Site’s Towns of Edinburgh WHS are the City of increases awareness and understanding among inscription on the World Heritage List, and of The successive planned extensions of the New Town, and the high quality of its architecture, set Edinburgh Council (CEC), Historic Environment partners, stakeholders and the public, and serves what needs to be managed in order to sustain Scotland (HES), and Edinburgh World Heritage as a central point for advice. the OUV for the long term. The SOUV describes standards for Scotland and beyond, and exerted a major influence on the development of urban (EWH). A Steering Group composed of the WHS and its importance, lists the Criteria for representatives of all the partner organisations For more information about World Heritage inscription on the World Heritage List, explains architecture and town planning throughout governance in Scotland see the World Heritage Europe, in the 18th and 19th centuries. coordinates and implements the aims and how the WHS satisfies UNESCO’s requirements objectives set out in the WHS Management Plan. in Scotland Short Guide. for Authenticity and Integrity, and summarises Criterion (iv): Be an outstanding example of a the management requirements. See Further type of building or architectural or technological A WHS coordinator ensures effective Information & Contacts for a link to the full ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) coordination between partners, coordinates SOUV document for the Old and New Towns significant stage(s) in human history. and drives forward implementation, monitoring of Edinburgh WHS. and revision of the Management Plan and The Old and New Towns together form associated action plans/objectives, promotes CRITERIA a dramatic reflection of significant changes To be included on the World Heritage List, in European urban planning, from the inward Sites must meet at least one out of ten selection looking, defensive walled medieval city of royal criteria, as explained in UNESCO’s Operational palaces, abbeys and organically developed Guidelines for the Implementation of the World burgage plots in the Old Town, through the Heritage Convention. The Criteria under which expansive formal Enlightenment planning of the the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS is 18th and 19th centuries in the New Town, to the inscribed on the World Heritage List are: 19th century rediscovery and revival of the Old Town with its adaptation of a distinctive Baronial Criterion (ii): Exhibit an important interchange style of architecture in an urban setting. of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in

John Knox House, Royal Mile. The Jazz Festival in the Grassmarket © Chloe Porter Old Town and Castle. Outside The People’s Story on the Canongate.

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Managing The Old and New Towns Planning and the Old and New of Edinburgh Towns of Edinburgh

THE MANAGEMENT PLAN World Heritage designation does not result in The Management Plan is a framework document The long-term aims for the WHS are: additional direct legal protection. Instead, the SUMMARY OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION, for the preservation of the OUV of the WHS. The WHS is protected through the planning system POLICY AND GUIDANCE: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Management • Protect its outstanding universal value and by identifying listed buildings and conservation • Our Place in Time ­– The Historic Environment Plan 2017-2022 is the third management plan promote its harmonious adaptation to the areas. Scotland’s Third National Planning Strategy for Scotland (March 2014) needs of contemporary life in a modern city. Framework recognises the value of WHS as part for the site. It was prepared by the management • The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) partners of the site: City of Edinburgh Council, of the historic environment. Scottish Planning • Ensure that its unique qualities and its Policy requires that planning authorities protect Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc. Historic Environment Scotland and Edinburgh global significance are understood in order (Scotland) Act 2006 World Heritage. It was informed by extensive WHS and their settings from inappropriate to conserve and to safeguard the inherited development by including relevant policies • Scottish Planning Policy (2014) pre-draft consultation to identify the issues cultural and historic assets. taken forward in the Plan. The feedback from the in the Local Development Plan. The Historic • Planning Advice Note 2/2011 Planning consultation was analysed in a number of forums, • Agree and co-ordinate action between Environment Policy for Scotland (HEPS) (2019) and Archaeology sets out a series of principles and policies for the including workshops with a specially created interest groups through the medium of a • Historic Environment (Amendment) Scotland Oversight Group including Community Councils Management Plan containing all necessary recognition, care, and sustainable management of the historic environment. Act 2011, which amends three pieces of and ICOMOS (UK). principles and policies. primary legislation It sets out how the Site will be managed by • Ensure that it continues to be a thriving, A series of Managing Change Guidance – The Historic Buildings and Ancient identifying a series of key issues and devising living, contemporary city with services and Notes produced by HES summarise Historic Monuments Act 1953; specific objectives or actions to address these facilities which meet users’ needs and respect Environment policies using everyday examples and language. These are available at www. – The Ancient Monuments and issues. It was developed collaboratively by the the WHS’s cultural and historical significance. Archaeological Areas Act 1979; and Partners, the bodies who have a role in actively historicenvironment.scot/managing-change- managing the Site and access to it. • Build strong partnerships with local, guidance-notes and include A Managing Change – The Planning (Listed Buildings and national and international communities Guidance Note – World Heritage Sites. Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and organisations in order to bring people • Historic Environment Policy for Scotland together to deliver the vision. Listed buildings are buildings of architectural THE VISION or historical interest. Around 75% of the buildings (HEPS) (2019) “We share an aspiration for the World Heritage • Foster pride, awareness and understanding, within the WHS are listed. • Managing Change in the Historic and make it accessible, inclusive and Environment Guidance Notes, Site to sustain it’s outstanding universal value Conservation areas protect the historic by safeguarding and enhancing its exceptional enjoyable for all. HES Managing Change in the Historic character of an area, not only buildings but also Environment Guidance Notes, HES historic environment. This underpins a confident • Strive to make it an exemplar in urban heritage features such as trees, parks, paving and street and thriving capital city centre, its communities, management and conservation, using the furniture. The whole of the WHS is protected and its cultural and economic life.” highest standards of design and materials. by the Old Town, New Town, Dean Village and West End Conservation Areas and parts or three specific guidance on the protection of key views, further Conservation Areas. which is critical to protecting the OUV. The aims of the Management Plan will also be delivered The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS is through a range of CEC strategies including protected by a policy in the local development transport, public realm, economic development, plan for the city that recognises the importance waste and cleansing, tourism and climate change. of protecting the OUV of the site. There is also These can be found on the CEC website.

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The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS is protected by a policy in the Edinburgh City Further Information Local Plan that recognises the importance of protecting the OUV of the Site. There is also specific guidance on the protection of key views, and Contacts which is critical to protecting the OUV. Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Coordinator – City of Edinburgh Council E: [email protected] Old and New Towns of Edinburgh WHS Tel: +44 (0)131 529 3510 on the HES website: here you can find links to the Management Plan and SOUV: KEY LINKS www.historicenvironment.scot/old-and-new- Old and New Towns of Edinburgh towns-of-edinburgh Management Plan www.ewh.org.uk/managementplan For planning policies and guidance see the City of Edinburgh Council local and strategic Edinburgh World Heritage: development plan pages: www.ewht.org.uk www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20194/ UNESCO World Heritage Centre local_development_plan – World Heritage List: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh: whc..org/en/list/728

Guests at the Knight at the Castle event Aerial view of Edinburgh with the New Town in the foreground. © Historic Environment Scotland Unless otherwise specified, images are © Crown Copyright HES – Scottish Charity No. SC045925

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View of the New Town Copyright © CEC

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