Tag: Edinburgh

‘One Team Edinburgh’?

‘Fair, Pioneering, Welcoming and Thriving’ endorsed as Edinburgh’s city values for the next 30 years

Edinburgh’s 2050 City Vision principles of Fair, Pioneering, Welcoming and Thriving have been endorsed by the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee, confirming them as integral to both Edinburgh’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the city’s future.

Produced by a steering group led by Lord Provost, Frank Ross, Councillors had previously agreed that the four values were to be central to the Council’s Adaptation and Renewal Programme. The steering group is currently developing a Vision charter for businesses and organisations to sign, committing to keeping the values central to their future plans. Once finalised, the charter will be signed by the Lord Provost on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council.

In addition to the formation of an annual youth council to provide oversight on progress and delivery of the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision, the steering group will be asked to consider measures for the city’s success in meeting the Vision’s aspirations.

Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “Our recovery plans have already embedded the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision principles to ensure we rebuild better with an eye to our future. We’ve seen partners across the City adopt these principles and will continue to reflect them in our strategy and business planning.  

“It’s important to note that we are not charting a fixed journey for everyone to follow – the City Vision gives us all principles to help shape and inform our actions now and push towards a vision of what Edinburgh could and should look like in 30 years’ time.   

“Building a city that is led by these values is only possible when we work together. I have every confidence that we can all come together as one Team Edinburgh to adopt and reflect these principles in the plans and strategies of businesses and organisations throughout Edinburgh and in our own lives as citizens.” 

Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said: “My thanks go to our Lord Provost and all members of the steering group for the great time and effort they have put in to determining the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision. It establishes an image of Edinburgh that, should we all do our best, we can achieve in 30 years. 

“There is still important work to be done and the development of a Vision charter is a crucial step towards our future, one that we are all jointly responsible for and that all organisations, partners, communities and residents need to play their part in. We look forward to the Council signing it in due course and to seeing other businesses and organisations from across Edinburgh embrace it too.”

 The 2050 Edinburgh City Vision principles were shaped by over 22,000 public consultation responses from residents across the city – the largest such exercise ever undertaken by the Council. It identified four key values that people wanted Edinburgh to stand for: welcoming, thriving, fair and pioneering. These values reflect a positive ambition for the city and will underpin a long-term vision for how the Capital will mould its future.

This was North Edinburgh yesterday. Will it look any better in thirty years time?

Edinburgh’s housing crisis drives up rental costs to record high

  • Edinburgh has jumped eight places in the accommodation cost global rankings, and has reached its highest position in Europe in four years (43rd)
  • Monthly rental cost for expats in the Scottish capital has shot up by £568 over the last five years
  • Aberdeen has dropped 23 places in the global ranking and is £528 per month less than it was at its peak in 2017
  • London retains the top spot for most expensive city in Europe for rental accommodation, costing on average £3,673 per month more than Edinburgh

Edinburgh has risen eight places in the global rankings for expatriate rental accommodation, as the average cost of a three-bedroom, mid-range home in the Scottish capital has increased by £106 per month, up to £1,635 (USD 2,144), the highest in over five years, according to the latest Accommodation Ranking report published by global mobility expert, ECA International (ECA).

“In addition to a growing population due to the high standard of liveability attracting expats, the prevalent Airbnb market has also impacted the cost of rental accommodation in Edinburgh as availability of longer-term rental accommodation fails to meet current demand,” said Alec Smith, Accommodation Services Manager at ECA International.

Globally, Edinburgh ranks 156th most expensive location for expat rental accommodation in the world and the 43rd in Europe, with Sweden’s Gothenburg (42) and Switzerland’s Bern (44) either side of the Scottish capital.

Meanwhile, the slowing oil and gas industry sees rental costs dip further in Aberdeen, resulting in the Scottish city’s lowest ranking since 2012. The average cost of the same type of property in Aberdeen now costs £1,160 (USD 1,521), £475 cheaper per month than in Edinburgh, and down from £1,235 in 2019. It is now £528 per month less than it was at its peak in 2017 (£1,688).

UK Accommodation Rankings 2020 (Europe ranking)

Top 10 most expensive cities to rent in Europe

London remains the most expensive rental city in Europe

UK Accommodation Rankings 2020 (Europe ranking)

Location

2020 EU Ranking

2020 Cost (GBP)

London

1

£5,308

Manchester

29

£1,874

Birmingham

32

£1,831

Edinburgh

43

£1,635

Belfast

57

£1,310

Cardiff

60

£1,245

Aberdeen

66

£1,160

Glasgow

68

£1,114

Top 10 most expensive cities to rent in Europe

Location

2020 Ranking

2019 Ranking

London

1

1

Zurich

2

3

Moscow

3

2

Geneva

4

4

Dublin

5

5

Paris

6

6

Kiev

7

11

Copenhagen

8

9

Luxembourg City

9

7

Amsterdam

10

8

 

 

 Top 10 most expensive cities to rent in the world

Location

2020 Ranking

2019 Ranking

Hong Kong

1

1

New York NY

2

2

Tokyo

3

3

London

4

4

San Francisco CA

5

6

Port Moresby

6

5

Shanghai

7

8

Miami FL

8

11

Buenos Aires

9

10

Yokohama

10

14

London continues to hold the top spot for the most expensive rental accommodation in Europe for expatriates, with an increase of £121 per month. The average cost of a three-bedroom, mid-range home for expatriates is now £5,308 per month (USD 6,959).

“London remains attractive to workers in the UK and from abroad, despite anticipated economic disruption from Brexit. In addition to this, the phasing out of tax relief on mortgage interest payments for buy to let landlords has acted as a brake on supply. Removing this tax relief has had the intended effect, a reduction in the number of new buy-to-let landlords, but a knock on effect has been a reduction in the availability of rented accommodation” said Smith.

Manchester and Birmingham have seen a small increment of £30 and £25 per month respectively, which will be welcome news for renters in Birmingham after a staggering £110 per month increase last year.

The average cost of a three-bedroom home in Manchester, which ranks 29th in Europe, is £1,874 (USD 2,457) and in Birmingham, ranked 32nd, is £1,831 (USD 2,401).

Rental highs across Europe

Dublin remains in the top five most expensive locations in Europe for rental accommodation, with the average rent now €3,613 per month (USD 4,086), making it costlier than other European capital cities such as Paris at €3,461 (USD 3,914), Berlin at €2,354 (USD 2,662) and Madrid at €2,393 (USD 2,706).

Meanwhile Cyprus saw the biggest rise in expatriate rental costs in Europe, with Limassol’s rent up USD 53 or €128 per month (USD 1,197 / €1,058) and Nicosia up USD 40 or €120 a month (USD 1,220 / €1,079).

Smith said “Growing interest in the schools sector is a big factor in the spike in Cypriot rental prices; the number of international students has almost tripled in the last five years and the number of higher education providers have more than doubled, this has led to an increase in demand and a housing shortage.”

“The Airbnb market also had an impact in reducing supply by converting long-term rentals into short-term, and the rejuvenation of the construction industry following the Cypriot financial crisis has also brought more expat workers to the area” added Smith.

Many German cities also saw big jumps in the average rent, with Munich, Berlin and Stuttgart all seeing increases of over 6% from last year.

“There has been a property boom for the last 10 years in Germany, as its high quality of life, policy benefits for expats, and sustained growth in employment rates and GDP makes it an attractive area to live and set up business.

“Home ownership is also very low, with the percentage of renters in Berlin being as high as 85%; construction capacity has been lagging behind this high demand and there is a critical housing shortage. The German government are putting in rent controls to try and limit landlords taking advantage of this situation, such as rent freezes and limits on rental increases after modernisation, but in general these have not yet come into effect,” said Smith.

Kiev saw big rises in rent and jumped 16 places back into the global top 50. “The rise of Kiev in the rankings is largely due to a return in confidence from many MNCs, with businesses and expats returning to the city after years of turmoil,” noted Smith.

Rent hike in the US

The US has become considerably more expensive for expats with nearly all US cities in the rankings having risen, some considerably. The US now has three cities in the global top ten, these being New York, San Francisco and Miami, as the strength of the US economy endures, with the dollar gaining against most major world currencies.

The average expatriate rental cost of a three-bedroom home in San Francisco is USD($) 6,590 per month, up by USD 218, while the same type of property in Miami now costs USD 5,254 per month, up by USD 136.

Smith said “Generally speaking, the US cities in our rankings have risen due to the strong performance of the dollar, but there are also local reasons for the rises to expatriate rental costs too.

“For example, in Boston, biotech and pharmaceutical industry sectors have drawn expatriates to the city in large numbers, bolstering demand for properties in prime neighbourhoods, whereas New York saw lower than expected rental increases after Amazon withdrew their plans to establish a second headquarters in Queens.”

Hong Kong remains the most expensive location in the world for expat rent

Hong Kong has been named the most expensive location in the world for expat accommodation, for the third year in a row, with the average monthly rent standing at a whopping USD 11,318, an increase of over 3%.

Smith said “Despite another increase in rental costs for expatriates living in Hong Kong, the rise was lower than the 4.9% rise seen the year before. Hong Kong has the most expensive rents due to a number of factors, such as the high population density of the territory and limited opportunities to build new homes, which combine to drive rental costs upwards.

“However, in light of the prolonged anti-government protests and coronavirus outbreak currently underway, we expect to see rents fall throughout 2020 as the number of overseas workers in Hong Kong drops significantly and the usually high demand for housing is tempered.”

Stockbridge is Scotland’s ‘least deprived’ area

The latest update of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2020 has been published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

Stockbridge is oficially Scotland’s least deprived area and it’s joined in the top ten by Blackhall, marchmont and Morningside.

SIMD is a tool for identifying the places in Scotland where people are experiencing disadvantage across different aspects of their lives. SIMD gives a ranking for each small area, or data zone, which shows how deprived that area is compared to other areas. Changes in the rank for one area may be due to other areas becoming more or less deprived.

The latest figures show:

  • the least deprived area is in Stockbridge in Edinburgh. This represents a change since SIMD 2016, when the least deprived area was in Giffnock
  • the most deprived area is in Greenock town centre. This represents a change since SIMD 2016 and 2012, when the most deprived area was identified as Ferguslie Park, Paisley
  • the area with the largest local share of deprived areas was Inverclyde, with 45% of data zones among the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland
  • Glasgow City has similar deprivation levels at 44%
  • other local authorities with relatively high levels of deprivation include North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire at 40% and Dundee City at 38%
  • Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Shetland and Orkney have no areas among the 20% most deprived in Scotland, however, this does not mean there are no people experiencing deprivation living there
  • over half of people on low income do not live in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland
  • levels of deprivation have fallen in Glasgow City, Renfrewshire and City of Edinburgh compared to SIMD 2016. Glasgow City showed the biggest fall, from 48% of data zones in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland, to 44%
  • levels of deprivation have increased in Aberdeen City, North Lanarkshire, Moray, East Lothian, Highland and North Ayrshire. None of these increases are greater than 2 percentage points

Scotland’s Chief Statistician, Roger Halliday, said: “I welcome these statistics and the work done to make this complex information more easily accessible.

“I know how widely the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is used as a vital resource for local planning, by third sector organisations bringing together resources needed to do their great work, and by many others.

“However, we must also focus on the strengths and assets of communities if we are to work together to make Scotland a fair and inclusive place to live.”

scottish-index-multiple-deprivation-2020

Pollution causes 157 deaths in Edinburgh in just one year

  • Proportion of air pollution-related deaths highest in Edinburgh, and lowest in Aberdeen
  • Estimated 628 air pollution-related deaths in Scotland’s cities in just one year
  • Councils need more money and power to reduce killer air pollution

More than one in 29 deaths in Scotland’s largest cities and towns are related to long term exposure to air pollution, according to new estimates in Centre for Cities’ annual study of the UK’s major urban areas – Cities Outlook 2020.

The proportion of deaths related to the deadly toxin PM2.5 are highest in Edinburgh, with the latest data linking it to 157 deaths in just one year, or 3.7% of all adult deaths in the city.

But Glasgow has seen the most deaths overall in Scotland – 354 in just one year.

In total, an estimated 628 people were killed by PM2.5-related deaths in Scottish cities in just one year.

Aberdeen has the smallest proportion of deaths related to PM2.5 Scotland. There, PM2.5 caused 63 deaths – or 3.0% of all adult deaths in the city.

The proportion of deaths in Scottish cities linked to PM2.5 toxins is lower than the rest of the UK due to their distance from London – by far the biggest emitter of PM2.5 in the UK – and from continental Europe, as some emissions are blown over the English Channel.

But action can still be taken in Scotland to reduce air pollution-related deaths. Transport is a significant, but not sole contributor to air pollution; burning fuels is also a major cause. For example, half of deadly PM2.5 toxins generated in cities and large towns come from sources such as wood burning stoves and coal fires.

PM2.5-related deaths in Scotland
Rank City Total number of PM2.5-related deaths PM2.5-related deaths as a percentage of total deaths
1 Edinburgh 157 3.7%
2 Glasgow 354 3.4%
3 Dundee 55 3.1%
4 Aberdeen 63 3.0%
Deaths in people aged 25 and over, 2017

 Half of local authority leaders polled by Centre for Cities highlighted the environment as a major concern, but progress has been slow and they must do more to prevent more avoidable deaths from air pollution. Cities in Scotland should:

  • Introduce Ultra Low Emission Zones to charge car and van drivers in city centres.
  • Ban the use of wood burning stoves and coal fires in areas where air pollution exceeds guidelines (in coordination with the Scottish Government).

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government should do more to help local politicians in Scotland act by providing financial incentives for cities to improve air quality through the establishment of an Environmental Impact Bond.

Finally, the UK Government should make securing plans with the EU to tackle cross border air pollution a key component of the future relationship. It should also adopt the World Health Organization’s stricter guidelines on PM2.5 – as the Scottish Government has already done – and make a legally binding commitment to meet this by 2030 at the latest.

Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said: “More than half of people in the UK live in cities and large towns. And while they offer people good employment and lifestyle opportunities, Cities Outlook 2020 shows that they also having a damaging effect on their health, with air pollution killing thousands of people living in cities every year.

“Politicians often talk tough on addressing air pollution but we need to see more action. People in Scotland should be at the centre of the fight against its toxic air and councils should take the steps needed, including charging people to drive in city centres and banning wood burning stoves.

“To help the Government needs to provide the Scotland councils with extra money and introduce stricter guidelines. Failure to act now will lead to more deaths in Scotland.”

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Edinburgh named most liveable city in the UK … for ex-pats, anyway

  • Edinburgh (19 =) is the only UK city in the top 20 most liveable cities in the world for European expats, closely followed by Aberdeen at 21
  • The Netherlands, Switzerland and Scandinavia continue to be the most attractive places for European expats, with superior liveability scores
  • Dublin enters the top 10 most liveable cities and sits in joint 9th place
  • Toronto, Canada remains the most liveable non-European destination for European expats

Scottish cities lead the way in the liveability rankings this year, with Edinburgh featuring in the top 20 global locations for European expats, and Aberdeen just behind.

Cities around the world are evaluated annually by ECA International (ECA) on a variety of liveability factors including availability of health services; housing and utilities; isolation; access to a social network and leisure facilities; infrastructure; climate; personal safety; political tensions and air quality.

“Edinburgh and Aberdeen lead the way for UK cities in terms of liveability due to a range of factors including lower air pollution and a greater level of personal security,” said Neil Ashman, Senior Location Ratings Analyst at ECA International, global mobility experts.

“However, what really makes these two cities outshine others in the UK is the existing expat community. This is an important factor in the liveability analysis as a solid network of expatriates will help newcomers feel less isolated and reduces the anticipated culture shock for workers that relocate from overseas.”

Despite a troubling couple of years, London is holding steady in the top 50 most liveable locations for European expats in 49th place. Glasgow is the only UK city with a lower ranking than London, coming in at 57th place in the liveability ranking.

“Although London has continued to see higher air pollution and crime levels in the past year, the city’s overall liveability score has remained steady, in part due to the improved availability of expatriate-standard housing,” said Ashman.

“It is understandable that smaller cities such as Edinburgh, Manchester and Belfast score better in areas that will always pose a challenge for a city as big as London, such air quality and personal security. This is a trend we see repeated throughout the world. For instance, Berlin is the lowest ranked of the seven German cities in our rankings, and Paris is fourth out of the five French cities in our list.”

ECA’s Location Ratings system objectively evaluates a host of factors to form an assessment of the overall quality of living in over 480 locations worldwide. The system helps companies establish appropriate allowances to compensate employees for the adjustment required when going on international assignment. The impact of some of the factors assessed will vary according to the home location of the assignee.

Dublin enters the top ten most liveable cities 

Elsewhere, Dublin has re-entered the top ten locations in the world for European workers for the first time since 2016. Sitting in joint 9th, the Irish capital is now on par with Gothenburg and Luxembourg as having among the most superior living conditions for European expats.

“Dublin has seen a return to the top ten after dropping out in 2017 due to a shortage of suitable housing for expatriates in the city. However our research reveals a general opinion from the expat community that they feel safer in Dublin after dark, which has improved the city’s personal security score this year,” Ashman explained.

Northern European cities continue to dominate the top of the rankings

Copenhagen in Denmark and Bern in Switzerland offer the best liveability standards for European expats, scoring at the top of ECA’s ranking for over seven years. Alongside Dublin, cities in northern European and Scandinavian nations once again dominate the top ten most liveable locations for European expats. The Netherlands and Switzerland each have three cities within the top ten.

Ashman said: “Cities in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the Netherlands have offered good liveability across the board for many years now; with factors such as excellent infrastructure, reliable transport systems, and a high level of healthcare all contributing to their consistently excellent liveability score.”

Canada most attractive country outside Europe for Europeans

The most liveable non-European location for European expats is Toronto, Canada. Canadian cities in general all score very well, with Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal all scoring higher than Belfast, London and Glasgow in the UK.

“Canadian cities have always featured high up in the rankings for European expatriates thanks to low crime levels, good public facilities, and little air pollution. The only anomaly to this was in 2017 when Montreal briefly dropped in the rankings following severe flooding. The city has since recovered well since the floods and risen five places in the latest survey, essentially returning to its original position,” explained Ashman.

Australia and New Zealand also score highly for European expats

Canberra and Wellington also offer high liveability standards for Europeans, making 40th and 45th place respectively; higher than some UK cities. All of the Australian and New Zealand locations included in the rankings feature in the top 100.

Ashman said: “Despite the long travel distances from Europe, which impacts the external isolation score for Europeans away from home, it is no surprise to see the majority of these cities in the top 50. Cities in Australia and New Zealand have always scored well, with low crime, efficient transport services and a range of available housing just some of the attractions.”

Singapore top Asian city for European expats 

Singapore is the most liveable Asian location for European expatriates and the only one that makes it into the top 100.

Ashman said: “Asian cities tend not to feature so highly for European expats due to significant differences in climate and language. However, a number of factors make Singapore the most liveable Asian location for European expats including the large European expat communities already living in Singapore – something which makes it a lot easier for expats to adapt and suitably acclimatise to their new surroundings.”

Top 20 most liveable locations for European expatriates

Location 2019 ranking 2018 ranking
Copenhagen, Denmark 1 =1
Bern, Switzerland 1 =1
The Hague, Netherlands 3 3
Geneva, Switzerland 3 =4
Stavanger, Norway 5 =4
Amsterdam, Netherlands 6 =6
Eindhoven, Netherlands 6 =6
Basel, Switzerland 6 =6
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg 9 =9
Gothenburg, Sweden 9 =9
Dublin, Irish Republic 9 =11
Aarhus, Denmark 12 =11
Rotterdam, Netherlands 12 =11
Zurich, Switzerland 14 14
Bonn, Germany 15 =15
Munich, Germany 15 =15
Vienna, Austria 17 =17
Hamburg, Germany 17 =17
Stockholm, Sweden 19 =19
Edinburgh, United Kingdom 19 =19

 

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