THE controversy over plans to redevelop the former Royal High School building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as either a luxury hotel or music school could reach a climax in the next few weeks, almost six years after the hotel plan was first officially put to Edinburgh Council.
The National has learned that Scottish ministers are due shortly to give their verdict on the plans for a luxury hotel using the grade A-listed former high school building designed by Thomas Hamilton and built in the 1820s, with additions planned to bring it up to “six star” standard at a reported cost of £75 million.
An alternative plan by the Royal High School Preservation Trust would see St Mary’s Music School re-located to the building. In this plan, a concert hall would be installed where the debating chamber was located. The school was redesigned as the home for the Scottish Assembly. It would have been, had the 1979 referendum result been properly respected instead of being rejected because of an English Labour MP’s amendment for a 40% threshold in the vote.
The saga of the historic school building has taken many twists and turns since Edinburgh Council decided in 2010 to encourage development of the site.
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Those in favour of the hotel plan say it would boost tourism, while those against say it is too intrusive on what is a World Heritage Site. More than 1700 objections were received at one stage.
Duddingston House Properties (DHP) proposed a mixed use “arts hotel” and the council gave the company exclusivity on development until 2022. The first formal planning application notice was filed in January 2015, and four months later the Preservation Trust submitted its music school plan.
DHP’s first application was narrowly refused by councillors in December 2015, with the trust’s application unanimously approved in August 2016.
DHP and their partners Urbanist Hotels came up with a second application that went before the council committee in August 2017 and this was unanimously rejected.
DHP appealed and an inquiry was started more than two years ago.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Reports on the planning and listed building consent appeals relating to the former Royal High School were received from the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division on June 2.
“The reports and recommendations from the reporters are being considered in detail, and decisions on the appeals will be issued as soon as possible.
“As these are live appeals, it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of the proposals.”
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