Edinburgh Council grants planning permission for next year's Christmas

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the vast majority of 2020 Christmas celebrations in the cities across the UK have been cancelled or moved online to protect the public and the NHS from the impact of coronavirus.

However, following the recent developments in the field of vaccinations and treatments for the illness, the planning authorities in Edinburgh are feeling optimistic about the festivities next year and have already granted planning permission for a series of events organised by the Underbelly in the city centre, including Princes Street Gardens, George Street and High Street at Parliament Square.

So far, the plans include Christmas market stalls, an ice rink, a bar with a viewing deck and more. Although they will be reduced compared to the previous years, they still may cause some controversy due to the previous complaints about noise and certain unauthorised operations, which resulted in damage to the landscaping in the area.

The application has been approved subject to several additional conditions including:

• the provision of more accessible toilet facilities;
• restriction of the build phase around the Remembrance Garden;
• supervision of tree protection with Heras fencing;
• exploration of more environmentally friendly power supplies than diesel generators on-site;
• better access for disabled people;
• investigation into the use of a noise receptor.

Despite the possible impact on listed buildings nearby, the planning officers advised that such harm is outweighed by the cultural and economic benefits of the Christmas events, which will begin the installation on 12 November 2021 and be decommissioned by middle January 2022.