Plans for how over £500,000 for park and open space lighting improvements across the city have been approved by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Committee. A prioritisation framework has been developed to identify where lighting improvements could benefit Edinburgh's parks and open spaces. The ranking comprises 58 sites across the city with Hailes Quarry Park considered first for developing a detailed lighting design.

In recent years, requests for park lighting in Edinburgh have increased. This is in part due to increased numbers of people having enjoyed opportunities for exploring local parks and open spaces during the pandemic, as well as improving safety within and through parks, particularly for women and young girls who often feel most at risk at night when walking alone in or near open spaces.

The proposed framework follows an audit of the formal paths used for walking, wheeling, and cycling across city greenspaces. The endorsed priority listing will determine the order in which lighting projects in parks and open spaces will be further developed.

Through the councillors’ agreement to allocate this funding at the recent Culture and Communities Committee, it is hoped the new lighting in these popular areas can help reassure park users and encourage people to visit or travel through parks and open spaces. However, there are additional considerations to be taken in parks compared to streets and roads as lighting outdoor space has to combine technical solutions with the unique features of green space environments. This can include supporting valuable habitats for wildlife, trees, historic buildings and monuments, as well as spaces for events, sport, active travel routes and traffic-free places.

Each of the proposed lighting designs must also consider improving lines of sight, proximity of entrances and exits, vegetation overgrowth, use of the space, and the importance of routes to local communities. In order to meet the full plans, match funding will be sought to supplement the Council’s allocation.

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Safety and Lighting

Read more about the safety and lighting work greenspace scotland have recently completed with Glasgow City Council on three pilot parks in Glasgow. Along with guidelines on Making Parks Safer for Women and Girls.

Lighting and Safety Info