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St Andrew Square Gardens

UNEXPLAINED GROWTH IN St ANDREW SQUARE GARDENS

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In October 2023, Edinburgh Council’s Development Management Sub-Committee consented Assembly Festival Ltd’s installation of a Spiegeltent for use as a performance space in St Andrew Square Gardens (23/04199/FUL).

Santa’s Stories was to operate as part of Edinburgh's Christmas 2023.

It would: be erected from 6 November; run from 18 November to 6 January 2024; be gone by 14 January 2024.

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?

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 NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IN St ANDREW SQUARE GARDEN 

It all began so promisingly. 

Uninterrupted grass returfed across St Andrew Square Garden. 

The promise of no more intrusive events taking up space here during the Fringe. 

And only a few contented tourists sheltering from the rain in Costa Coffee. 

And then the sun came out. People began peppering the grass like daisies. It was lovely.

ROOT AND BRANCH PROBLEMS IN St ANDREW SQUARE

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An independent survey has revealed the damage being done to trees in St Andrew Square by the Events held there. 

Essential Edinburgh, which commissioned the survey by the Potter Tree Consultancy (PTC) and manages the events, is now applying for permission to act on all the report’s recommendations (Ref. 16/05408/TCO). 

These concern 79 trees examined in the Garden in mid-October. 

STICKING IT TO THE CAPITAL

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‘One of Edinburgh’s iconic gardens has been invaded by nocturnal stick-figures as part of an art installation […].’ 

Not our words, but those of a Council press release. We agree wholeheartedly with the term ‘invaded’.

This tawdry stunt called KEYFRAMES lights up sequentially in the dark to create the illusion of movement. But at all times of the day and night, it interrupts, distracts from and diminshes a civic space at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

HOW St ANDREW SQUARE WAS MEANT TO BE

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On Monday we reported a recent planning decision in St Andrew Square, and lamented the current condition of the Gardens. 

In researching that story, we found references to the original principles behind opening the area to the public in 2008, but could not find an original document laying out those principles on the Council's online Planning Portal.

It is still not available there, although we understand that Spurtle's prompting means it will appear soon.

GIVE US BACK OUR GRASS!

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Photos posted online of the latest desecration of St Andrew Square have met with a huge response.

Yesterday, we asked readers if there was anything they'd like to say to Essential Edinburgh about the changes, and we later invited Council leader Councillor Andrew Burns to gauge the reaction.

ST ANDREW SQUARE – SNAPPED UP, YET AGAIN

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‘Is St Andrew Square a park or an event space?’ tweeted @speybaysoul this morning. ‘May as well just pave it.’  

As she suggests, the available evidence now clearly points to St Andrew Square being an event space, on this occasion themed around the Ryder Cup from 23–28 September. 

By our estimate, this will be at least the ninth major project hosted here so far this year.