The Planning Committee of City of Edinburgh Council scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, 10 September 2025, to discuss a range of planning and housing-related topics. The agenda included discussion of the City Plan 2040, non-statutory planning guidance, a proposed moratorium on purpose-built student accommodation, and the condition of the George Cinema in Portobello. The committee was also scheduled to consider Edinburgh's Local Housing Strategy.

Here's a more detailed look at the topics that were scheduled to be discussed:

• City Plan 2040

The committee was scheduled to consider the Development Plan Scheme for City Plan 2040, the next local development plan for Edinburgh. The Development Plan Scheme sets out the programme for preparing and reviewing the local development plan, including a timetable and a Participation Statement outlining consultation stages. The committee was to be asked to approve the new Development Plan Scheme and Participation Statement for publication, and to delegate authority to officers to finalise the document's graphic presentation and correct any errors.

• Non-Statutory Planning Guidance

The committee was scheduled to consider and potentially approve several pieces of non-statutory planning guidance:

• Developer Contributions and Infrastructure Delivery: This guidance provides a framework for developers to contribute to infrastructure improvements. The committee was to note the results of a short engagement survey and approve the guidance as non-statutory planning guidance.
• Student Accommodation: The guidance sets out expectations for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development, addressing policy requirements related to location, amenity, and design. The committee was to note the findings of a consultation on the draft guidance and approve the guidance as non-statutory.

• Edinburgh Design Guidance, Guidance for Householders and Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas: This suite of guidance documents provides detailed advice on design quality, householder development, and development affecting listed buildings and conservation areas. The committee was to note the findings of consultations on the draft guidance and approve the guidance as non-statutory.

• PBSA Moratorium

The committee was scheduled to consider a report responding to a motion by Councillor Aston regarding a possible moratorium on new PBSA developments. The report outlines options for a moratorium, notes issues with those options, and recommends that a moratorium would be inappropriate based on the development plan context and available evidence.

• George Cinema, Portobello

The committee was scheduled to discuss the George Cinema, a building in Portobello, and to consider advising the owners of the building that there is a hole in the flat roof towards the front of the building. The committee was also to consider reminding the building's owners of the motion of Planning Committee of 13 November 2024 which encouraged action in relation to making the building wind and watertight. The committee was also to note that the Council does not have responsibility for asbestos containing materials in the building, and that the building's owners are investigating the structural condition of the building, and it is expected they will share their report on this with the Council. The committee was to consider agreeing that if no action is to be undertaken by the building's owners by 11 October 2025 towards making the building wind and watertight, consideration will be given to serving a notice requiring repair of the building, and that a report will be brought to committee in November 2025 setting out possible next steps in relation to whether a notice should be served.

• Edinburgh's Local Housing Strategy

The committee was scheduled to be provided with information on Edinburgh's Local Housing Strategy, which covers housing across all tenures and related services. The Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee had been scheduled to approve the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) and accompanying Action Plan, note the Consultation and Engagement Report and Integrated Impact Assessment, note the changes that had been made since the draft Local Housing Strategy, agree to receive an annual update on the LHS and accompanying Action Plan, agree for the LHS and accompanying documents to be submitted to the Scottish Government, and agree to refer the Edinburgh Local Housing Strategy Report to the Planning Committee for information.

Motion

Councillor Alys Mumford had submitted a motion requesting a Business Bulletin update on the council's position on Street Hubs¹. The motion notes the continuing number of applications and appeals relating to Street Hubs, and requests information on strategies for improving digital connectivity and requesting removal of unused phone boxes.