Edinburgh World Heritage

Ensuring our city’s World Heritage Site status is a dynamic force that benefits everyone. As an independent charity, we are dedicated to the active conservation of the city’s heritage, protecting and promoting the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. What We Do Edinburgh World Heritage has a team of dedicated staff, volunteers and interns. Together, we tackle the combined challenges of looking after a historic city. — Conservation Funding Programme: Connecting homeowners, tenants, and shopfront owners with the essential funding and expert advice required to properly maintain our city’s iconic historic character. — Public Realm: Sensitively protecting and improving our shared spaces in the public realm, including historic graveyards, statues, greenspaces, and the other spaces between buildings. — Climate Emergency: Providing education and funding to private owners and organisations wishing to carry out targeted energy efficiency improvements or climate change adaption alongside other conservation repairs. — Advice: Offering both formal and informal advice on the impact of change on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage Site. — Advocating for our city’s historic environment — through climate resilience, city planning, community involvement, and so much more. Our Role Explained Working alongside City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Environment Scotland, we are charged with looking after Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. As external experts, we advise the City of Edinburgh Council on the impact of change on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage Site. This relates to both the requirements of the World Heritage Convention and local plan policy ENV1.