Leith Local Place Plan
Eala is working with the three Leith Community Councils (Leith Harbour & Newhaven, Leith Links, and Leith Central) to produce a Local Place Plan for Leith. Find out more about Local Place Plans here.
This is the opportunity for the residents of Leith to have their say in their future. Have look below to find out how to take part, and what we’ll be doing over the coming months.
Our journey with the Leith Local Place Plan is split into two surveys. The first survey was carried out through July 2025. It aimed to get the over-arching views and opinions of the people of Leith and how they feel about their place here. The second survey was open through September and October 2025. It presented the suggested responses to the challenges reported in the first survey, and asked the community if they are happy with our suggestions whether they reflect their voices well. After this we’ll finalise the Place Plan and give to the Community Councils to submit to the City Council.
The timeline for the Place Plan
Leith Gala Launch
The first survey was debuted at the Leith Gala day in June. Through this we aimed to start spreading the word of the Local Place Plan and have the first few questionnaires completed. We also set to collect as many ‘three words that describe Leith’ as we could from people passing by.
Survey 1
The questionnaire had three tiers for people to complete it in depending on how much time they had available and how much they had to say on the topic. All participants were asked to add their ‘three words’ and their connection to Leith (live/work/study). Then they could choose to go through the rest of the survey quickly by only answering the number scale questions, or writing detailed answers on each topic along with some extra neighbourhood questions at the end.
In July we had paper copies of the questionnaire in six local community buildings (Duncan Place Community Hub, The Heart of Newhaven Community, McDonald Road Library, Leith Public Library, Norton Park Business and Conference Centre, and Leith Community Centre) and placed flyers with QR codes all around Leith’s businesses and organisations. We also went to community groups and chatted with people to tell them about the Local Place Plan and gained more answers for the questionnaire through these conversations.
Analysis of Survey 1 Results
In August we brought all the data together. The analysis explored and contrasted what the people of Leith said they wanted their local place to be. The results can be found below.
Survey 2
We ran a follow-up consultation exercise for residents of Leith through September and October. In this we presented the draft plan and asked people what they thought of it. From this we hoped to find out that we have understood Leither’s thoughts and opinions well enough and that residents feel comfortable with the Community Councils submitting the Plan on their behalf.
The draft place is set out in the link above (the Full Action Plan under each question). We conducted in person events around Leith to seek the views of Leithers. Hard copy surveys were available at The Heart of Newhaven Community Hub, Leith Community Centre, Leith Public Library, McDonald Road Library, Norton Park Business and Conference Centre, and Duncan Place Community Hub.
Illustrative map of Leith community council areas, showing sites from the 2030 City Plan and other proposals, initiatives, applications that are currently happening.