The Herald

The boundary of one of Scotland's most famous world heritage sites could be redrawn, bringing several popular visitor attractions into it. A review of Edinburgh's heritage site, called for in a draft management plan launched yesterday for public consultation, could mean the inclusion of the Royal Botanic Garden, Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat. The document also calls for consideration of a "buffer zone" around the site. The area was designated a world heritage site in 1995 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). It ranks in the same international league as the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Egypt. Unesco expressed concerns then that the boundary had been very tightly defined. The "buffer zone", similar to one that is to be put to Unesco by Chinese authorities wanting to safeguard the Imperial Palace at Beijing, would give additional protection to the Old Town and the New Town in the city centre, ensuring that it would not be spoilt by intrusive buildings on its fringes and that views to and from areas like Calton Hill would be better safeguarded.