With its beautiful green and historic environment, and thriving economy, Edinburgh is one of the best cities in the world in which to live, work and study. It is a city committed to change.

Edinburgh has created a Local Development Plan (LDP) – City Plan 2030 – that will set out the strategy for proposals and policies to shape the development of the city over the next 10 years at least. It addresses issues such as affordable housing in the capital and makes a commitment to building 20,000 low-cost homes over the next 10 years. Digitisation of planning and design will be crucial to this becoming a reality, especially with the need to consider the city’s many key views, such as Calton Hill, and the implications of visual impact. Being able to assess project feasibility at an early stage, and work out factors such as density and capacity, saves time, costs and headaches for all stakeholders involved.

The proposed plan will support the Scottish Government’s 20-minute walkable neighbourhood plans and maximise the use of brownfield rather than greenfield land such as with new neighbourhoods at the Forth Waterfront. Using a 3D platform like VU.CITY is invaluable in understanding how to improve the public realm and maximise placemaking.

Users of VU.CITY Edinburgh include CDA Group, Oberlanders, Michael Laird, Morgan McDonnell, 7N Architects and 3DReid who are using the model’s many benefits, from being able to understand and assess a site’s opportunities and challenges, testing refined designs in context, enhancing pre-app conversations and planning submissions, to improving how everyone involved collaborates.