Public access to private parks in central Edinburgh
A peaceful movement for and by the residents of Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the only place in Scotland where the middle of the city is full of huge massive parks that are completely off-limits for the general public and often even for people living in the same area.
Some of the private parks are huge. Just the Regent, Royal and Carlton Terrace Gardens are taking over a 4.8-hectare (12-acre) site at the heart of the city.
While the law of Scotland mandates the right to roam even on private land, anything that is designated as a “garden” is exempt from this law.
All private parks are deliberately labelled as “gardens” to keep them locked away from local residents and guests of the city.
Sign the petition for public access to massive private parks.
Manifest
Private gardens in central city over 1 hectare must be designated as parks
Private parks must obey the right of roam law
Queen Street private parks at the heart of the City
The List of private parks of central Edinburgh with no access for the public
Queen Street Gardens
3 massive parks at the heart of the city with an impressive total size of 8 Ha - by far the largest gated green space that is completely inaccessible to most residents and guests of our city.
Regent, Royal and Carlton Terrace Gardens
A private park just off Calton Hill, almost 5 Ha in size, reducing the publicly accessible area of the Hill in half.
Dean Gardens
A massive private park of 3 Ha in size, taking up a lengthy side of Water of Leith, with open spaces under the Dean Bridge.
East, India and Royal Circus Gardens
A huge green gated space almost 2 Ha in size, completely inaccessible to most residents.
Moray Feu Gardens
Another huge green space, completely gated and inaccessible - but taking up to 1.5 Ha of city space.
Charlotte Square Gardens
While St Andrew Square was made available to the public, its opposite Charlotte Square Gardens remains gated and inaccessible to the public, while also taking 1.3 Ha of city space.
Drummond Place Garden
Almost equal in size to Charlotte Square Gardens, and equally centrally located, but gated and inaccessible to the public - while taking up 1.2 Ha of city space.
Learmonth Gardens
Located in Stockbridge and taking just over 1 Ha in size, these impressive gardens are gated and shut off from the public.
These are not parks, but private gardens - same as a garden at the back of a house
Not the same. The gardens we are asking to open for public access here are all over 1 hectare - and some - like Queen Street Gardens - take up to 8 hectares of space, completely inaccessible for most residents and guests. Often private parks are blocking pedestrian navigation, requiring you to walk around the massive park.
Would you let someone else into your private garden?
Firstly, lots of residents in central Edinburgh don’t have a private garden of any size or shape. Secondly, if a garden takes up 5 hectares of green space in the middle of a small town - of course everyone should be welcome.
So, you just see something nice and want to take it away from others?
Of course not. Ownership remains with the respective owners of the private land, in exact same way a lot of central Edinburgh is privately owned, but is accessible for general public.
Private parks are the only place where we can keep the tourists away
Putting aside the fact that tourists are also people, and literally everyone are also a tourist at some point of our holidays - tourism makes up a lot of job market here in Edinburgh. If tourists would decide one day to stop visiting, it would spell disaster for the city and everyone in it.
Who is going to pay for the upkeep?
Since the ownership remains with the respective private owners, and unless that ownership is going to be shared with the Council of Edinburgh, the upkeep will continue to be with the respective owners of the land.
Why can’t you just go to the Botanical Gardens?
Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh are far from being accessible on the same level as a park would be. And unless you live in the immediate vicinity, Botanics are much less convenient to access compared to a local park. If you are with a disability, you are even more at a disadvantage here - with private parks often available much closer and more convenient to you.
How can you possibly succeed?
Council succeeded in making St Andrew Square publicly accessible back in 2008. Before it used to be a “private garden” with no access to the general public. St Andrew Square remains private land, even though everyone can now enjoy its grounds.
It is simply in the best interest of the land owners, city, all of city residents and guests to allow public access to the private parks of New Town.
*** All questions here are real questions from people with access to the private parks of New Town.
Reading materials
Reddit discussions and quotes
A topic of massive private parks in central Edinburgh is regularly discussed on Reddit by residents and guests of the city
Even more reading on private parks in Edinburgh
"The phenomenon of Edinburgh New Town and West End's 'private parks' raises its head every so often... Rather, the term 'private' is used in a subtly different sense, one that, to my mind, allows an unfortunate use of much of the city's open space.
It is used to denote urban parks that are accessible to certain local residents only; they are not really 'gardens' as we usually conceive of them. As such, rather than private, they are perhaps better seen as public spaces which have, anachronistically, been allowed to maintain a policy of exclusive access. As such, they seem to belong in the same world as the private country club."
— Edinburgh's private parks: time for action?
"There is an ongoing debate about making the green spaces of the Queen Street available to the public. We love having a discussion between locals and visitors on our tours of Edinburgh New Town... Then there is also a change in the security requirements to consider, if the park was to become public. Think of Princes Gardens, how much less dense is the foliage to allow for passive overlooking from the street?"
— A Tour Of Edinburgh New Town Private Park
"Privately owned gardens around affluent areas of Edinburgh should be opened up to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure more people can have access to green space, an MSP has said.
There are dozens of exclusive communal green spaces located around the capital’s New Town, which are only accessible to residents who live in the surrounding streets."
— Coronavirus Scotland: Open Edinburgh’s privately owned gardens to the public, urges Andy Wightman
Write to your MSP
Find your local Member of the Scottish Parliament here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps
You can use the sample draft letter below - and please make it specific to the gardens you are most concerned about.
Sample letter
Dear [MSP's Name],
I am writing as a resident of [Your Neighborhood/District] to express my concerns about the lack of public access to [your local garden], a beautiful and potentially valuable green space within our community.
While I understand that [your local garden] is privately owned, I believe there is an opportunity to explore a shared-access model for the benefit of the wider community. The Gardens could serve as a space for relaxation, connection with nature, and the appreciation of Edinburgh's rich history.
Potential benefits of increased access might include:
Enhanced Wellbeing: Access to green spaces has a well-documented positive impact on physical and mental health.
Community Building: the Gardens could become a gathering point for residents, fostering a sense of community.
Tourism Potential: Limited, well-managed access could enhance Edinburgh's appeal for visitors interested in our city's historic green spaces.
I recognise that opening access to the Gardens requires careful consideration of issues such as maintenance, security, and potential impact on existing residents. I believe open dialogue between the owners of the gardens, the City of Edinburgh Council, and our community representatives is essential.
I urge you, as my representative in the Scottish Parliament, to explore the possibilities and facilitate conversations aimed at finding a mutually beneficial and sustainable model for increased public access to the Gardens.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Contact Information]