Edinburgh implements temporary ban on new statues in Princes Street Gardens

The City of Edinburgh Council has approved a temporary moratorium on the installation of new permanent statues, monuments, and public artworks in Princes Street Gardens. This pause aims to address concerns regarding the heavy concentration of memorials in the area, which currently holds 21 statues with two more in development.

Stakeholders, including Edinburgh World Heritage and various city councillors, expressed concerns that the accumulation of monuments could diminish the open character of the gardens. The moratorium will remain in place until a formal statue and memorialisation plan and a wider Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy are finalized.

The decision may impact a proposed memorial for actor Sean Connery, which the Sean Connery Foundation had been exploring for the site. However, the pause will not affect existing projects, such as a memorial for Muriel Spark or a sculpture commemorating those affected by the infected blood scandal.