Tollcross Viability & Improvement Study - Updated

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Final Report has been prepared for CEC Services for Communities to better understand the mechanisms to secure enhanced viability and vitality of Tollcross Town Centre and to set out a vision and an Action Plan for how this can be taken forward.

Key Issues are:

• Clarifying the role of City of Edinburgh Council, Local Businesses, the Community Council and other stakeholders, who need to work in partnership to enhance the vitality of the centre based on a clear understanding of the contributions needed from all parties.
• Better understanding of the changing role and opportunities for Tollcross as a result of current and forthcoming major investments in Fountainbridge, Quartermile, Edinburgh Quay and the Financial Services District that are changing the economic opportunities and basis for investment in the centre.
• Addressing with urgency the constraints, image and environmental detractors that adversely impact on quality of place, the appeal, retail confidence and overall vitality of the centre.

Tollcross needs to move forward and capture the opportunity presented by investment in the local area to offer a town centre with greater appeal, better offer and a clearer function. Significant opportunity exists for Tollcross to capture the retail spend and attract customers and offer services to the new developments at Quartermile, Edinburgh Quay and Fountainbridge. The first stage is to recognise, embrace and communicate the opportunity for positive change and then to develop a clear plan that looks for all interests to work together and drive forward a broadly based 5-10 year programme of progressive change.

The key issues to address are:

• Developing a more active, engaged Business Association to support the drive towards town centre regeneration
• Making Tollcross a more distinctive, welcoming and appealing centre and a town centre destination of choice
• Pressing forward on a breadth of measures with an early priority to focus on the Home / Leven Street core area
• Addressing the sense of welcome, image, town centre parking and accessibility as priority actions
• Establishing a ‘Town Centre Contract’ between public and private sectors, each committed and responsible for an agreed package of interlocking measures. Successful early delivery will support confidence encourage more inclusive participation and provide a clear demonstration of commitment and the capacity to deliver the vision.