Strategic Plan for Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is truly a city park like no other, a remarkable upland landscape at the heart of Scotland's capital city that shapes the City's identity and encompasses a range of habitats and heritage.
While it is recognised as a place of outstanding value and importance, it has vast potential to offer even greater benefits for people, nature and heritage. It offers opportunities to measurably improve peoples’ lives and wellbeing; to help us adapt to the ongoing and deepening climate crisis; to support the City's visitor economy, and to provide an exemplary model of integrated 21st century approaches to land management and change.
This page provides a timeline of the key events and milestones that led to the development of the recently published Strategic Plan for Holyrood Park. The Plan outlines a vision for the Park's future, focusing on sustainability, biodiversity, and visitor wellbeing.
A Journey of collaboration and consultation
The development of the Strategic Plan was a collaborative process that involved extensive public consultation and engagement with stakeholders. Over the course of several months, HES hosted a series of in-person events to gather feedback on the Outline Strategic Plan and supplement the online questionnaire. This input was invaluable in ensuring that the final Plan reflects the needs and aspirations of the community, with almost 5000 people taking part, many of whom were local to the Park or visited regularly.
Key milestones
- September 2023: Historic Environment Scotland (HES) launched public consultation on the Outline Strategic Plan for Holyrood Park.
- September to December 2023: Consultation events were held across Edinburgh, providing opportunities for stakeholders to share their views and ideas.
- December 2023: The consultation closed, and HES began analysing and reviewing the feedback received.
- Summer 2024: HES finalised the Strategic Plan, incorporating insights from the consultation process.
- September 2024 The Strategic Plan was published
Key achievements
The Strategic Plan serves as a guide for realising the potential of the Park and will shape our approach to addressing the growing climate crisis, supporting the visitor economy, and promoting sustainable land management. It also provides a framework for future development, with detailed proposals and tactical plans to be developed in the coming years.
These achievements demonstrate the commitment of HES and its partners to creating a sustainable and vibrant Holyrood Park. The Plan represents a significant step forward in ensuring the Park's enduring importance for generations to come.
The Strategic Plan builds upon the recently completed Holyrood Park Landscape Conservation Management Plan, which has been informed by expert analysis of archaeological, ecological, and hydrological factors.
Read the Landscape Conservation Management Plan on StorymapsNext steps
The Strategic Plan does not include the final Movement Strategy for the Park, which is still being developed in collaboration with The City of Edinburgh Council and will align to their City Mobility Plan 2030. Additional surveys will inform plans for future traffic movement and active travel, ensuring a sustainable future for the Park.
While the Plan does not include an update on rock risk, specialist geotechnical engineers have completed a re-assessment of risk and potential mitigating measures in relation to parts of the Radical Road and other areas. HES plans to improve access, where this can be done safely, at the southern end from the Hawse to the northern end of South Quarry. This area includes Hutton's Section and Hutton's Rock. However, the safety of visitors and staff remains paramount in areas with unstable cliffs. Â
The Strategic Plan represents a significant milestone in the journey to create a more sustainable and vibrant Holyrood Park. By working closely with communities, stakeholders, and partners, HES aims to develop plans that reflect the aspirations of the city and its residents, ensuring the Park's enduring importance for generations to come.