Semi-derelict townhouses above Edinburgh’s most famous street to become 24 luxury apartments
“Their restoration presents an important opportunity to conserve and protect the historic character of these properties” – John Cameron, Studio LBA
A series of semi-derelict townhouses on Edinburgh’s most famous street are to be transformed into 24 luxury serviced apartments.
Planning details have been submitted for the conversion of the B-listed buildings on the corner of Princes Street and Hanover Street into the apartments and an office headquarters for Destiny Scotland.
The firm, which specialises in the development and running of serviced apartments, has appointed conservation specialist Studio LBA as the lead consultant and architect for the project.
The above-shop properties, located within the capital’s Unesco world heritage site, are currently in a semi-derelict state internally having laid vacant for several decades.
The properties previously received full planning permission and listed building consent for conversion into 30 serviced apartments. The newly submitted proposals, which have very similar layouts, will supersede the previous consent and modify the proposals to the roof level, as well as retaining the first-floor commercial space as an office for Destiny Scotland.
Developers said the few remaining original features would be retained and “sensitively restored”.
Destiny Scotland currently manages 15 properties across Edinburgh, but this development will be its flagship.
Stuart Moffat, managing director at Destiny Scotland Group, said: “We pride ourselves on offering a home-from-home at each of our apartment locations and it’s exciting to bolster our portfolio with this new addition on Princes Street. Studio LBA have the exact expertise to lead this sympathetic conservation project, enhancing and modernising the building into luxury serviced apartments.”
John Cameron, conservation architect and associate at Studio LBA, said: “It’s fantastic to add another project with Destiny Scotland to our portfolio. The buildings, situated within Edinburgh’s Unesco world heritage site, have stood vacant for several decades and are now in a fragile, semi-derelict condition.
“Their restoration presents an important opportunity to conserve and protect the historic character of these properties, ensuring that their legacy within the city’s architectural heritage is safeguarded for future generations,” he added.
The design team consists of Studio LBA as architect, SF Structures as structural engineer, OFR Consultants as fire engineer, Brownriggs as quantity surveyor and Waverley Ltd as mechanical engineer.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.