Edinburgh's Royal High School set to rise again as £35m art hotel

Published on Tuesday 2 February 2010 21:57

AN ICONIC Scottish landmark that has lain vacant for more than 40 years is to be transformed into a "world-class" hotel.

• Classic beauty: The Royal High School, with its Greek pillars, is said to have contributed to the city's nickname. Picture: Toby Williams

The former Royal High School building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh is to be redeveloped into an arts hotel, Edinburgh City Council will announce today.

The 35 million project will bring the A-listed building, once mooted as a home for the Scottish Parliament, back into public use for the first time since 1968.

The hotel will include a restaurant, caf and public gallery.

Council chiefs described it as a "hugely exciting" development.

However, critics hit out at the decision to turn it into a hotel rather than a cultural facility, describing it as a "bungle".

Developer Duddingston House Properties beat off competition from more than 50 bidders and the design will be drawn up by Glasgow-based Gareth Hoskins Architects.

• History of The Royal High School of Edinburgh

The council will continue to own the building but lease it on a long-term basis. Council leader Jenny Dawe said: "This is a hugely exciting development for one of Edinburgh's, and Scotland's, best-loved landmarks, particularly as it will bring the former Royal High back into public use for the first time in over 40 years."

Ms Dawe said the development would form an integral part of a wider project to bring "new life" to the city centre. "I very much look forward to seeing the designs, which will allow this wonderful building to be brought respectfully into the 21st century," she added.

"Arts hotels have proved extremely popular in major cities around the world and this development will bring much-needed additional hotel capacity to the city while complementing Edinburgh's unique cultural offering."

However, Peter Wilson, director of business development at the School of the Built Environment at Napier University, described the decision as "another council bungle". He said: "It is unexpected and it's absolutely the wrong use for a building of that importance."

The building helped give Edinburgh the title "Athens of the North" he said. He added: "Turning it into yet another hotel is not what any capital city should do with a building of that status.

"It has clearly always been intended to be used for a cultural function but the council has been desperate to get rid of it."

"I think this is another council bungle, frankly. It's something they are very good at. The whole economic development approach really needs investigation. The city has been absolutely emasculated by stupid decisions."

Another leading Edinburgh architect, who did not want to be named, said he was undecided about the plan. He said: "Part of me thinks it's a good idea to have a private-sector venture which is going to be financially self sustaining.

"We don't have a lot of space for more publicly funded galleries.

"Another bit of me wonders whether this is the right or best use for it. We have waited 40 years, so we want to get it right."

A city council spokesman said: "We were looking at something that was going to be sympathetic to the Royal High building."

He added: "This is the first time it will be put to use for more than 40 years, so it's quite exciting."

The imposing building, which towers above the Old Town, was built in 1829. It has remained under-used since the Royal High School relocated to larger, more modern premises in Barnton.

It was set to hold the debating chamber for the proposed Scottish Assembly which failed to materialise after the 1979 referendum. It was later considered as the venue for the Scottish Parliament but was rejected in favour of the new building at Holyrood.

In May last year, the council decided to find a long-term business solution for the site, prompting interest from 53 companies.

That number was whittled down to two. Second on the list was Edinburgh firm Whiteburn Projects, which hoped to turn the building into offices, a hotel and a conference facility.

The winning bidder, Duddingston House Properties, also owns the former Odeon cinema in Edinburgh's South Side, which it bought six years ago. The B-listed building has been boarded up since 2003.

Gareth Hoskins Architects, the award-winning firm behind the 9m Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, is also involved in the controversial Trump Development in Aberdeenshire.

The developers will now have to submit a planning application, for consideration by the council.

The Scotsman understands the developers are hoping the hotel will open in 2014.

Redevelopment will be privately funded by the developer.

Under European regulations, there will be a ten-day "standstill" period between the council notifying its intention to award the contract and the actual award.

Bruce Hare, chief executive of Duddingston House Properties, said: "We are delighted to have been successful in the face of such stiff competition, with more than 50 companies interested. I believe this is a fantastic project and we look forward to working closely with the council on this."