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Historic Scotland Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan 2012 - 2022 Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 Pre-screening report September 2012

SEA PRE-SCREENING REPORT (COVER NOTE )

PART 1 To: SEA.gateway@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or SEA Gateway The Scottish Government Area 1 H (Bridge) Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ

PART 2 An SEA Pre-Screening Report is attached for the plan, programme or strategy (PPS) entitled: The Responsible Authority is: Contact name Job Title Contact address Contact tel no Contact email Signature Date

Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan 2012-2022

Historic Scotland

Ginny Sharp

Senior Heritage Management Officer (SEA)

Room E16 Longmore House Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH

0131 668 8704

virginia.sharp@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

4 September 2012

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KEY FACTS

Responsible Authority Title of PPS Purpose of PPS What prompted the PPS Subject Period covered by PPS Frequency of update Area covered by PPS

Every 10 years

A map on page 9 shows the extent of the area covered by the ECSRDP. The purple area shows the extent of the Edinburgh Castle Property in Care site. The red area shows Castlehill, which is outwith the control of Historic Scotland but is the subject of some objectives and aspirations expected to come forward as part of the ECSRDP.

2012 to 2022

Historic environment management

The previous Development Plan covered the period from 1998 to up to 2010. There is now a need to ensure that a revised, up-to-date Edinburgh Castle development plan, which can take account of National Performance Framework and the commitments of Historic Scotland’s current corporate plan, is in place.

The purpose of the Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan (ECSRDP) is to identify and prioritise key projects (organisational, administrative, operational, infrastructure or management initiatives) required to achieve a set of agreed aims, objectives and outcomes for the management of Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle is a Property in the Care of Historic Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The ECSRDP will review the outcomes of the previous plan, and will update the aims and objectives in line with the National Performance Framework, Historic Scotland’s Corporate Plan commitments and the current economic market in order to create a Development Plan that will guide Historic Scotland’s management of Edinburgh Castle for the next 10 years.

Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan 2012-2022

Historic Scotland

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Summary of nature/ content of PPS

The ECSRDP is likely to follow the format of the existing 1998-2010 Review and Development Plan, and will include: • Introduction • Background including developments under the 1998-2010

Review and Development Plan • Current aims and objectives (including those set by the

Corporate Plan) • Visitor Experience Development Plan (interpretation,

commercial development and pricing structure) • Stakeholder involvement • Current and future opportunities and challenges • Research and further studies required • Projects identified • Individual Project Business Plans and options appraisals • Priorities and timescale • Budget and Funding

Are there any proposed PPS objectives?

Current issues affecting the Edinburgh Castle site and a long term vision for its future management have been identified. These will inform specific objectives for the management of Edinburgh Castle over the next 10 years. These objectives have been grouped into 5 key projects:

• Involvement in and support of project to pedestrianise Castle Hill (project being led by City of Edinburgh council)

• The Esplanade brought to life (improvement of visitor experience through banners, pageantry, pipers, drawbridge ceremony, possible occasional street market)

• Water tanks converted (conversion of disused water tank building to form exhibition / visitor space)

• The Palace revisited (overhaul of visitor/exhibition spaces and displays)

• Accommodation better utilised (optimised use of existing accommodation including increased/shared use of some areas, and provision of additional toilet facilities).

Date 4 September 2012

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Our determination regarding the likely significance of effects on the environment of the Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan is set out in Table 1.

TABLE 1 – LIKELY SIGNIFICANCE OF EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

TITLE OF PPS

RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY

Criteria for determining the likely significance of effects on the

environment

Likely to have

significant environmental

effects?

Summary of significant environmental

effects (negative and positive)

1(a) the degree to which the PPS sets a framework for projects and other activities, either with regard to the location, nature, size and operating conditions or by allocating resources

Minimal environmental effects

The purpose of the ECSRDP is to identify specific objectives and measures that are required for the successful ongoing management of the site; however, the ECSRDP will not set a framework for the consent of future projects. The majority of objectives and related actions/projects will focus on organisational, presentational, and operational/management issues, from which no environmental effects have been identified. Although some project areas are likely to involve infrastructure works of a relatively specific nature in specified locations, the scale and nature of the works, and the small areas affected, mean that only minimal effects are expected. Potential indirect effects as a result of pedestrianisation of Castle Hill are expected to be positive but minimal due to the small area affected.

1(b) the degree to which the PPS influences other PPS including those in a hierarchy

Possibly, but extent is uncertain

There is some potential for ECSRDP to influence City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) PPS in relation to the objectives relating to the pedestrianisation of Castle Hill. CEC are the lead partner in the delivery of these objectives. In general terms, the ECSRDP is a relatively low-level, site specific PPS which will have limited scope for influencing others.

Historic Scotland

Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan (ECSRDP) 2012-2022

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Criteria for determining the likely

significance of effects on the environment

Likely to have

significant environmental

effects?

Summary of significant environmental

effects (negative and positive)

1(c) the relevance of the PPS for the integration of environmental considerations in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development

Minimal environmental effects

Whilst the ECSRDP actions will be influenced by environmental considerations where relevant, and will contribute to the environment related commitments in the HS corporate plan (which has undergone SEA), it is not expected that the objectives will have significantly different environmental outcomes to those outlined in this related assessment.

1(d) environmental problems relevant to the PPS

No environmental effects

No significant environmental problems specific to the Development Plan have been identified.

1(e) the relevance of the PPS for the implementation of Community legislation on the environment (for example, PPS linked to waste management or water protection)

No environmental effect

The plan will not seek to implement any Community legislation on the environment. Issues relating to carbon and waste management have been addressed through the SEA of our Corporate Plan and related Carbon Management Plan.

2 (a) the probability, duration, frequency and reversibility of the effects

Minimal environmental effects

Impacts are likely to be few, and although potentially long term, are expected to be reversible.

2 (b) the cumulative nature of the effects

No environmentaleffects

The plan is not expected to have effects of a cumulative nature.

2 (c) transboundary nature of the effects (i.e. environmental effects on other EU Member States)

No environmental effect

Transboundary effects are not expected.

2 (d) the risks to human health or the environment (for example, due to accidents)

Minimal environmental effect

We have not identified any significant risks to human health or environment. There may be some health benefits associated with the pedestrianisation of Castle Hill (e.g. reduction in risk of accidents and some improvements in air quality/pollution levels), although this will be restricted to a very small/specific area.

2 (e) the magnitude and spatial extent of the effects (geographical area and size of the population likely to be affected)

Minimal environmental effects

The geographical area of the Edinburgh Castle is small and non-residential in nature, although there are large numbers of visitors to the site.

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Criteria for determining the likely

significance of effects on the environment

Likely to have significant

environmental effects?

Summary of significant environmental effects (negative and positive)

2 (f) the value and vulnerability of the area likely to be affected due to: (i) special natural characteristics or cultural heritage;

(ii) exceeded environmental quality standards or limit values; or (iii) intensive land-use

Minimal environmental effects

No

No

(i) The plan affects an area which lies within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, is a Scheduled Monument and Property in Care, and part of which is designated as an SSSI (as part of the Arthur’s Seat Volcano SSSI designation). None of the objectives or projects identified by ECSRDP are expected to directly impact the SSSI area of the site. Historic Scotland are currently progressing a project to deal with rock maintenance, including rock fall measures, within the SSSI (Castle Rock), however, this project is outwith the scope of the ECSRDP. The site forms a very small, albeit high profile, part of the Edinburgh WHS, and any effects on the cultural heritage as a result of the plan are likely to be minimal in this context.

(ii) Environmental quality standards are not likely to be affected by the plan. (iii) The plan will not affect the intensity of land use.

2 (g) the effects on areas or landscapes which have a recognised national, Community or international protection status

Minimal environmental effects

None of the objectives /projects/actions of ECSRDP are expected to affect the SSSI designated area of the site.

The site forms a very small, albeit high profile, part of the Edinburgh WHS, and any effects on the cultural heritage as a result of the plan are likely to be minimal in this context.

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A summary of our considerations of the significant environmental effects of the

Edinburgh Castle Strategic Review and Development Plan is given below.

TABLE 2 – SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Historic Scotland are currently producing a Strategic Review and revised Development Plan for Edinburgh Castle and have identified the key objectives that are likely to be included in the plan. The objectives are focused on improving the visitor experience through a series of projects / actions predominantly relating to improvement of circulation and exhibition spaces and displays. One key objective relates to supporting and contributing to plans for the pedestrianisation of Castle Hill, but the ECSRDP itself will not set a framework for this project, nor is it likely to have strategically significant environmental effects. The strategic role that Edinburgh Castle plays in the promotion of Scotland’s historic environment at a national and international level has been considered through the SEA of our Corporate Plan 2012-15 – this Development Plan essentially seeks to operationalise some of the specific administrative and organisational measures necessary to make this happen. Although the Edinburgh Castle site incorporates an SSSI, none of the objectives relate to this area of the site and no likely direct or indirect impacts on the site have been identified. In light of the above, we are of the view that the ECSRDP will result in no or minimal environmental effects and SEA is not required.

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