Friday May 15th 2026
The toilets were located off Morrison Street
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
Enforcement action will not be taken against a developer who failed to include public toilets in a massive new development, according to council documents.
The council sold land next to Haymarket Station, including a car park and public toilets, to a developer several years ago.
A burden was included on the sale that public toilets be provided on the site, but the current development there – built after the site changed hands – includes none.
The site changing hands did not remove the burden – however, a document before the city’s culture committee on Thursday stated the council would not attempt to enforce it.
It explained that officers had made the decision after taking legal advice, but stated that “the Haymarket area is one which would benefit from public toilet provision”.
At present, the nearest public toilets are at West Princes Street Gardens, with the toilets in Haymarket Station being located behind the ticket gates.
During the meeting, Green councillor Dan Heap asked council officers for more detail on why enforcement action was not being taken.
He also asked where a toilet might be located, and whether consideration of a toilet being installed in Haymarket could have bearing on a new toilet being installed in Gorgie.
Council officer Andy Williams replied, “I probably need to be quite careful in terms of the legal element.
“I know there was a briefing issued yesterday, that’s come from legal colleagues who have engaged a KC to have a look at it”.
He encouraged Cllr Heap to contact another council officer for information on the legal side of the issue.
He added that officers were exploring location options for a toilet in Haymarket, and that the work would have no bearing on a new toilet for Gorgie.
In May 2025, a full council motion by Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat called for answers as to why the burden was not fulfilled.
Additionally, it asked council officers to research options for firms which could install pay toilets in the area.
The document at Thursday’s meeting said councillors would explore ‘options in line with enhanced toilet provision across the city’.
It added: “Financing options are expected to be developed and reported to Councillors as part of the 2026/27 budget setting process.”
This means that officers plan to include funding of new public toilets in the area as part of a proposed budget for the next financial year.
More public toilets have slowly been opening in Edinburgh after a long contraction, which steepened during the pandemic.
Three new public toilet banks have opened recently in the city in the Meadows, Leith Links and Inverleith.
In addition, plans are underway to develop a new set of public toilets in Portobello.
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