Sparks fly over plan to develop blaze site

Published on Wednesday 26 November 2008 01:00

IT WAS the scene of one of the worst fires in Edinburgh in living memory: a blaze which destroyed a host of historic buildings and created a gaping hole in the heart of the capital.

Now the site of the Cowgate fire of 2002 is set to become the latest battleground between a major developer and heritage groups in the capital.

The 40 million SoCo scheme – which is planned to become home to the city's latest upmarket hotel – is facing a string of objections over claims its modern design will be out of place in the Old Town.

The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS), Edinburgh World Heritage and the Cockburn Association have lined up to condemn the scheme, designed by Allan Murray, the same Edinburgh architect whose plans for the nearby Caltongate development have provoked much criticism.

His designs, which include entrances off both South Bridge and the Cowgate, have been branded "disappointing" by critics, who say they have fallen "well short" of the standards expected for the site.

Developer Whiteburn has also been criticised for rejecting large parts of an approved development blueprint for the site, particularly a call for new housing be prioritised.

In a letter to the council, the Cockburn Association said Whiteburn's scheme had failed to rise to the expectations set out by the council in its planning brief for the site, and has called for the entire scheme to return to the drawing board, branding many of the proposed buildings as "monotonous" and describing a proposed courtyard as likely to end up being "cold and hostile".

Euan Leitch, a spokesman for the AHSS, said there was a danger that a proposed wood effect on the panels of a tower at the heart of the hotel would look "cheap" and said there had not been enough effort made to replicate the number of mixed uses that had previously been on the site.

Edinburgh World Heritage's submission has major concerns about the design and massing of the Whiteburn scheme and the impact on the area.

More than 150 fire appliances from all over central Scotland helped tackle the Cowgate fire on 7 December 2002. The blaze, blamed on a faulty fuse box, destroyed 12 different properties, including Edinburgh University buildings, the Gilded Balloon comedy club, the Bridge Jazz Bar and a string of other nightspots like Loca and Living Room.

Whiteburn struck a deal to buy out the various owners almost three years ago after protracted legal negotiations.

John Shepherd, chief executive of Whiteburn, said: "During the preparation of our planning application, we worked closely with planners at the council, consulted widely on all aspects of the proposal, and commissioned an independent heritage report, all of which informed our approach.

"We believe that our plans will vastly improve the environment whilst recognising its historical importance, and create a prime destination for people to stay, work and relax in the city."