Ministers throw out plan to knock down landmark cinema

Published on Friday 21 May 2010 23:15

CAMPAIGNERS have won a long-running battle to save a landmark cinema building from demolition.

A developer's proposals to turn the former Odeon in South Clerk Street, Edinburgh, into an "arts hotel" have been left in tatters after being rejected by the Scottish Government.

Ministers had called in the plans to create a boutique hotel, including a 100-capacity bar and restaurant, artists' studios and a lecture theatre. Under those plans, only the art-deco facade of the building, its entrance foyer and caf-bar area would have been retained.

After an inquiry, they were rejected on the grounds Duddingston House Properties had failed to show every effort had been made to retain the building and its historic auditorium.

Now the developer and Edinburgh city council – which had backed the plans, despite protests from campaign groups and an official objection from Historic Scotland – have been urged to find an "acceptable solution" for the building.

Duddingston was recently chosen by the council to pursue the same "arts hotel" concept for the former Royal High School on Edinburgh's Calton Hill.

The government has recommended the Odeon building is re-evaluated, taking into account the constraints of its listed building status.

The inquiry reporter, Michael Culshaw, said the Odeon was a B-listed building with a "unique auditorium" that was capable of repair.

One leading campaigner, John Need, said: "It's a fantastic decision. The main thing for all of us was that we just wanted to see this building saved from demolition.

"There is a lot of interest from people in taking the building on. I think it should now be subject to a compulsory purchase order from the council and put on to the open market."

Gordon Barr, a spokesman for the Cinema Theatre Association, said: "The plans for the development would have ripped the heart out of the building.

"We now want to see Historic Scotland upgrade it to become A-listed, to offer greater protection for the future."

Jim Lowrie, the city council's planning leader, said: "This is a very disappointing outcome, especially since we've been waiting to hear the decision for more than a year now."

He went on: "This is extremely regrettable as it will inevitably lead to the building lying derelict for the foreseeable future."

Duddingston chief executive Bruce Hare said: "We are going to take time to have a good look at the report then sit down with the council and others to try to find a solution for the building.

"We are committed to pursuing some form of scheme, but we have now come full circle."

The building, designed by the acclaimed architect WE Trent, opened as the New Victoria cinema on 25 August, 1930. It was renamed the Odeon in 1964 and survived until August 2003 when it was closed, with the owner blaming competition from new cinemas.