How Edinburgh’s quality of life could be so much better – Angus Robertson

Edinburgh has all the key ingredients to rank much higher on the gold-standard of global quality-of-life rankings, writes Angus Robertson.

Edinburgh has the potential to shoot up the quality of life rankings

As Edinburgh residents, we are currently experiencing a major debate about our collective future in the Capital. What kind of city is Edinburgh becoming? How do we expect current and future changes to impact on our lives, on our economy, on our environment? Is our quality of life going to improve? Will we all ­experience the benefits, or will some be able to enjoy them more than others? These are not abstract questions – they go to the heart of the active current debate about Edinburgh.

Sometimes it looks and sounds like different Edinburgh city stakeholders and campaigners are at loggerheads, when in fact there is more shared ground than you might imagine. On a strategic level, there is some really impressive thinking about the city and its future. In recent months I have met with Edinburgh City Council leader Adam McVey and diverse organisations from the Cockburn Association to Mike Small of Bella Caledonia and the Citizen Network, who are all hugely proactive in the Edinburgh debate. All have highlighted the different ­pressures that are contributing to the need for significant change.

Affordable housing is a huge issue in Edinburgh. With the population of the Scottish capital growing at twice the national average, the city is acting as a magnet for new residents. It is increasingly difficult for people to find options to rent or buy within budget. What was previously affordable is now beyond reach for too many as house-price inflation continues apace.

The success of the Edinburgh economy is significantly linked to the draw of the city for people from near and far. Whether that is for the city’s retail, cultural or tourism attractions, millions of people support tens of thousands of jobs and businesses in the city. The festivals alone are the envy of cultural planners around the world, but there is a growing feeling for many that the downsides outweigh the benefits and things are out of kilter. The boom in short-term lets and its impact on ­central Edinburgh especially is palpable.

In a related concern, the public amenity of our shared spaces is ­causing controversy, especially the recent example of Princes Street Gardens during the summer festivals and, more recently, the Christmas market.

All of this factors into the ­quality of life we are able to enjoy in ­Edinburgh. Surprisingly, Scotland’s capital ranks only 45th in the world in the ­Mercer gold-standard quality of ­living ­rankings. Half of the top ten in the world is represented by cities in smaller-sized European nations like Scotland. Austria’s capital, Vienna, has held the top spot for ten years in a row, followed by the likes of Zürich, Copenhagen, Geneva and Basel. The factors which determine the rankings include: the political and social environment, the economic environment, the socio-cultural environment, medical and health considerations, schools and education, public services and transportation, recreation, consumer goods, housing and the natural environment.

Edinburgh has all the key ingredients to rank much higher in the quality of living rankings, and with some of the strategic thinking out there it can and it should.

Perhaps with more collaborative working and coordination, there could be a greater sense of common ­endeavour and progress.