Lothian Green MSP Alison Johnstone is calling on constituents to make their feelings known on the future of Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns before a council survey closes on 25 July.
Council chiefs are seeking people’s views to help create policies to preserve and enhance the World Heritage Site and Johnstone wants guarantees that the city’s large tourism numbers won’t mean that prospective hotel developers are given carte blanche.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
“People from the capital are all too aware of planning issues in the city and now we have an opportunity to give our views on Edinburgh as a place to live, work and visit in this survey before it closes at the end of the month.
“Given our World Heritage status, our growing population and increasing development pressures it’s important that people make clear their opposition to developments that may not be the most optimal or necessary use of precious city centre sites.
“We need to have an honest conversation about how many luxury hotels the city needs and where they should be situated. Tourism is vital to Edinburgh, but we need to ensure that Edinburgh caters for travellers on all budgets, and essentially, for those who live and work in the city.”