3 Top challenges for architecture in Edinburgh guide, Scottish capital city property heat

3 Top challenges for architecture in Edinburgh

7 January 2026

Edinburgh is a city with rich architectural heritage. A beautiful and compelling place to visit with many attractions, its many striking buildings include Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and St Giles’ Cathedral.

And the city’s beauty has not gone without recognition – in 1995, both the Old Town and New Town were both given UNESCO World Heritage status.

The former is famously home to the Royal Mile and dates back to the Tudor period, although many of its buildings had to be rebuilt in the 1800s following the Great Fire of Edinburgh of 1824.

Prior to this, the Old Town was home to what was effectively the earliest iteration of high-rise flats, with tenements of up to 15 feet in height.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s New Town was constructed in the Georgian era, and today tends to be populated by students and professionals. However, the district is no less impressive for its relative modernity,

This article breaks down some of the top challenges faced in architectural development in Scotland.

1. Strict controls over development

Most cities are frequently victim to a perpetual slew of ongoing works on the path to modernisation

Edinburgh doesn’t face this problem – at least, not to the same extent. With the aforementioned World Heritage sites, as well as a wealth of historic architecture outside of these areas, construction regulations are highly strict – in fact, 75% of the city’s buildings are protected.

This means that drastic change to core structures is strictly prohibited, and buyers often have greater ambitions in mind than are achievable, regularly tying the hands of architects, planners and designers. For anyone buying with the intention of development or renovation, it’s worth discussing the finer details of property matters with a solicitor – Dickinson Parker Hill are a law firm with expertise in a range of property matters.

2. Observing sustainability practices

In addition to the restrictions via status, Scotland is also strongly committed to sustainability, and all building developments.

Edinburgh alone is home to 50 ‘designated conservation areas’, which also include suburban areas like The Grange and Leith.

Any development that takes place has to correspond with the city’s 2030 plan, which sets out strict rules about where and how developments can take place. The plan establishes a range of policies, including Housing and Environmental concerns.

3. Retrofitting and reuse

With so much restriction, retrofitting is a common solution. This involves updating existing structures to best preserve the original framework while observing the modern standards required for residential or commercial buildings.

However, sometimes local communities or individuals have had to fight for the preservation of property. This can be a challenge across Scotland – for instance, the owner of the Ayr Station Hotel had to fight vehemently against the demolition of the building following a 2023 fire that left the building with significant structural damage.

Eng Huat Un received the support of Save Britain’s Heritage, the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS), Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, Ayr Station Hotel Community Action Group, Ayr Development Trust, Glasgow City Heritage Trust and Ayrshire Architectural Heritage Trust in appealing to Ayrshire council, and successfully managed to save the building for renovation. Though its future at current remains unclear, locals are hopefully for a revival.

These are just three of the challenges facing architecture in Edinburgh today. But for the industry’s creative and imaginative minds, they present rich opportunities going forward.

Comments / photos for the guide to 3 Challenges for Architecture in Edinburgh, Scotland page welcome.