Toby Withall, office agency partner at property consultants Knight Frank’s Edinburgh operation sets out his views on what he thinks the Edinburgh City Deal should focus on

As the much-anticipated City Deal for Edinburgh moves closer, albeit after another delay, it’s an opportune time to think about where the city currently stands and where it’s going. This investment package is a huge opportunity for Edinburgh, but it will only be fully realised if we focus on the right areas.

Naturally, the major employment and infrastructure programmes tend to grab the headlines. City Deals in other parts of the country have been characterised by tens-of-thousands of jobs in construction, significant investment in transportation networks, and the development of innovation hubs.

While these undoubtedly address the specific requirements of other cities, Edinburgh must follow its own course: even if that means channelling funds towards initiatives that aren’t as PR-friendly.

Of course, big infrastructure and digital projects have an important role to play – particularly the latter, as the city’s tech sector continues to expand. But the City Deal could also be used to address some of the other issues we face and develop our existing infrastructure: the trams being a prime example.

Although its difficult birth was well-documented, the trams project has clearly had a positive impact on locations such as Edinburgh Park, Haymarket, and York Place. It could help others too – Leith and Newhaven are just two areas that could see significant benefits. The project needs to be seen through if we’re to realise its full potential.

Edinburgh’s burgeoning tech sector is another success story that needs sustained. While Skyscanner and Fanduel have been the most prominent stars of the show, there are others to come. Zonefox and QickServe are just two businesses among a second generation of tech firms emerging from incubators – a positive sign, but more could be done to help them realise their ambitions in the city.

An integral part of that should be a reinvigorated way of setting out our offer to these companies, entrepreneurs, and the talent they are looking to attract – making it clear why they should set up shop in Edinburgh. The city has an obvious appeal: there are four universities, a strong student population, the institutions have aligned their courses to the tech industry, and there are plenty of likeminded people with which to collaborate. It’s also markedly cheaper than establishing a business in London or San Francisco.

However, we still need to sell the city as a place to live and work. There have been plenty of surveys that extoll the virtues of life in Edinburgh over other cities; but, talk to some visitors and they’ll point to broken paving on the streets, litter problems, and other “housekeeping” issues. We need to be prouder of our city and show it at its best: many of the tourists that come here are business people judging its potential.

Our planning system also needs an overhaul. Developers have to spend too much time submitting forms for approval, let alone seeing them through the entire process. Part of this can be put down to a lack of resources at the council, but legislation also has a detrimental effect. Consequently, we’re lagging behind other cities and potential investment is making its way to the north of England, where more dynamic planning systems make the process much easier.

Finally, we have to make placemaking a core part of how we develop and regenerate parts of Edinburgh. Quartermile is a fantastic example of what can be achieved: a mixed-use scheme operating as intended, bringing commercial, academia, and residential together. There’s a serious opportunity for us to do the same with Haymarket and Fountainbridge, provided we set out a coherent vision for each area and its role in the wider city.

Edinburgh has the basic principles of something special; but we need to get them working in harmony – it’s an attractive place by many measures, yet it’s not being sold as well as it could be. That’s where the City Deal can make a real difference, provided we channel investment into the right areas. Even if that doesn’t always make headline news.