Pleasance – Temporary venue
Posted on: April 3, 2026
Supports continued cultural use with management of residential impacts and continued improvement
Address: Proposed Temporary Festival Venue 30 Metres East Of 60 Pleasance Edinburgh
Proposal: Temporary siting of performance venues, catering units, bars and other associated moveable structures for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, recurring on an annual basis for a minimum period of three years.
Reference 26/01170/FUL
Closing date for comments: Fri 24 Apr 2026
Determination date: Fri 22 May 2026
Result: Pending
Cockburn Response
The Cockburn Association recognises that the proposal relates to a long-established Festival Fringe venue at the Pleasance Courtyard and supports the continued cultural use of this site.
The temporary and reversible nature of the development substantially limits its long-term physical impact and supports its acceptability in principle.
The Group welcomes the applicants’ extensive programme of community engagement and the operational improvements introduced in response to resident feedback, including reduced bar hours, revised programming and enhanced noise mitigation.
However, the evidence presented confirms that impacts on residential amenity, particularly in relation to noise and late-night activity, are ongoing and require active management.
Given that the proposal is both temporary and recurring, the Group considers that this raises important issues of cumulative impact. Temporary consent should not be regarded as static, but as enabling an evolving and responsive approach to design, management and community integration.
The Cockburn Association therefore supports the continued use of the site, while encouraging further refinement in the following areas:
- stronger integration with the surrounding public realm
- improved visual coherence and design quality of temporary structures
- continued enhancement of operational management and environmental performance
Future iterations of the scheme should demonstrate measurable improvement in response to community feedback, ensuring that the venue contributes positively not only to the Festival Fringe but also to the everyday life of the surrounding neighbourhood.