The full design for the ambitious George Street and First New Town project in Edinburgh has received approval from the City of Edinburgh Council's Transport and Environment Committee. This significant milestone marks the completion of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 4 Technical Design, revealing a revised overall cost estimate of £35.07 million, representing a saving of over £4.3 million on previous projections.

The wider project was included to proceed under the City Mobility Plan Prioritisation programme in May 2025, following a rigorous assessment of its feasibility.

The approved full design incorporates a range of features aimed at enhancing the historic area:

• Natural stone materials throughout, including yorkstone slabs on the footways, re-laid traditional setts in parking areas, and whinstone kerbs and setts on the carriageway.

• Dwell zones featuring integrated raised planters and seating.

• Eight new trees – four at the Charlotte Square end and four at the St Andrew Square end – complemented by low-level planting within a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) that will link to the existing drainage.

-- Advertisement --

• A full suite of Hostile Vehicle Measures (HVM) at all junctions, along with associated utility diversions.

Under the current timeline, construction is slated to begin in Autumn 2027 and is expected to take approximately two years, followed by a one-year defect period. The next steps involve the implementation of appropriate road orders, followed by final budget confirmation and progression to RIBA Stage 4B (Tender), securing all necessary statutory consents. Final approval will then be sought to commence RIBA Stage 5 (Construction).

The full report detailing these plans is available to view on the City of Edinburgh Council's website.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, expressed his satisfaction with the committee's decision: "I'm really pleased that we've taken the decision today to move forward with the George Street and First New Town project. The project is rooted in making the area safer, more sustainable and accessible for all."

Councillor Jenkinson highlighted the unique opportunity presented by the scheme: "This is a unique opportunity to bring one of Edinburgh's most important streets into the modern world whilst still maintaining its unique history and features. The wider potential improvements are vast, from benefits to local residents and businesses to enhancing Edinburgh as a visitor destination, and beyond – we're on our way to delivering a bold new vision for George Street and our city centre."

He concluded by reiterating the Council's broader commitment to city-wide improvements: "Whilst we're committed to this important project, we're also committed to making broader improvements across the city for the benefit of all our residents."