Five years ago this month, we launched a campaign to transform the former bowling greens on Leith Links into an activity park.
To mark the anniversary, we’ve brought together five visuals that show how the project has evolved over time. From the original ‘What if?’ concept that launched the campaign to the latest masterplan, each one reflects countless conversations, workshops, design reviews and community feedback that have helped shape the vision.
2021 – The original ‘What if?’ visual used to launch the campaign.
2022 – The Links Place Community Activity Park concept masterplan, published as part of the Leith Links Masterplan.
2023 – The Strategy Zoning Diagram published as part of the Leith Links Activity Hub proposals.
2024 – An updated zoning diagram, published in response to feedback from the 2023 Activity Hub consultation.
2025 – The updated masterplan, published as part of the RIBA Stage 2 report.
With the former bowling greens still sitting derelict, five years doesn’t necessarily feel like something to celebrate. But it is worth reflecting on how far the project has come and all the small wins that have got it to this point.
February’s announcement of £4m in Visitor Levy funding was a huge milestone, bringing the community’s shared vision one step closer to reality. With the Visitor Levy now in effect, we’re hopeful there’ll be more clarity on the next phase of the project over the coming months. We continue to keep in touch with the Thriving Greenspaces team and will share any updates as soon as we’re able.
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign over the past five years – whether you’ve completed a survey, attended an event, shared your ideas or simply helped spread the word.
We’re looking forward to sharing the next chapter.
The LLAP team
Leith Links Activity Park 