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The Edinburgh City Centre Centre Strategy
(ECCT) was seen as a once in a generation opportunity to overhaul the operation, quality and experience of the City Centre bringing health and wellbeing as priorities to the streets, public spaces, amenity of access and movement. The strategy influenced a policy review, benchmarking and setting the scene for future developments up to 2050. The City of Edinburgh Council appointed Jacobs to lead the production of a coherent strategy to provide direction for future development of the city centre and detail the required changes to urban infrastructure, public transport and public spaces to achieve a transformed city centre focus in social, environmental and economic benefits for the community. The strategy was supported by an evidence-based delivery plan and a detailed business case.A ten-year £314 million plan, the ECCT Strategy, was approved by the Council in 2019, which outlined a programme to enhance public spaces to better support life in the city by prioritising movement on foot, by bike, and by public transport. The Delivery Plan was structured within a series of gateways proposed at 3, 5, 7 and 10 years, where key decisions can be taken to allow for changes to programmed activities. The proposal sat alongside and directly influenced the proposed Low Emission Zone to tackle air pollution by reducing the number of car journeys in the city and the City Mobility Plan to maximise public participation. A joined-up public transport and active travel network were vital, with the Capital's population expected to increase by 15 per cent by 2041 to around 600,000.
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In the run up to the Fraserburgh 2021 CARS/TH project, the town was facing many socio-economic challenges, including the town centre being significantly run down and the historic building fabric suffering from neglect and decay. The Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation (2012 and 2016) indicated that Fraserburgh was struggling to improve in terms of living standards, employment opportunities, health and wellbeing and other key indicators of prosperity. Town Centre Health Checks showed it had declined more than most in Aberdeenshire, with niche retailers struggling to survive and national high street brands mainly limited to bookmakers, pound shops, pawnbrokers, and payday lenders. There were a high number of vacant and under-used premises and the quality of the town centre environment was poor, with many buildings being run down and vacant units boarded up. The public realm was functional, but not at all pedestrian or cycle friendly. All of this led to Aberdeenshire Council prioritising regeneration activity in Fraserburgh.The Fraserburgh 2021 heritage led regeneration scheme was a multi-agency, multi funder project with the core strategic aim of improving the economic success and vibrancy of Fraserburgh Town Centre. The project utilised the inherent placemaking qualities of Fraserburgh's built and cultural heritage to create building's, spaces and places that capitalised on civic pride, local identity, local connection and a sense of place. Ultimately stimulating the economy and creating more opportunities for those living and working there. It is a showcase of planning at all levels delivering strategic goals and planning policy to create a better environment for the community of Fraserburgh. The scheme has targeted numerous derelict/and or vacant properties in the Fraserburgh Conservation Area bringing them back into active use. This included shopfront improvements, reinstatement of original architectural detail, public realm and an extensive training and engagement programme. The engagement and training programme was a means to raise awareness but also gain buy-in from the community and give them the skills and knowledge to continue to improve post project. Priorities were informed by widespread local consultation.
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Kevin Murray Associates is a specialist consultancy in strategic visioning, action planning and research; facilitating progressive stakeholder and community engagement inputs into the planning process, both in-person and through on-line events. KMA delivers an innovative services for clients from a compact team – planning and regeneration, research, leading-edge engagement, strategy and policy development – across a wide range of locations. Their inclusive place momentum approach transcends different cultures, disciplines and administrative systems. Professionally active in circles like the RTPI, Academy of Urbanism, and teaching at various universities, the outward-looking KMA team also volunteer with community development trusts and youth organisations. -
Rhiannon’s passion for planning shines through everything she does. Her ambition and commitment to promoting planning as a profession across the
development sector is inspirational. Be it her previous role as Chair of the Scottish Young Planners' Network, her volunteer efforts with Planning Aid Scotland and the RTPI, or her day to day job in planning consultancy, Rhiannon is an excellent role model for future young planners and the skills and knowledge she brings to her work are invaluable to her team and external networks.