Go-ahead to a new future for Adam Smith's former home

CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn the historic former home of celebrated economist Adam Smith into a business and conference centre have been given the go-ahead in the face of opposition from heritage campaigners.

The Scottish Government has endorsed Heriot-Watt University's bid to bring Panmure House - where Smith spent his final days in Edinburgh's Old Town - into use again, four years after it was vacated as council offices.

After a public inquiry, the government said it had no objection to the most contentious element of the university's plans, which will see a glass-boxed atrium created next to the late-17th century building on Lochend Close.

Opponents had claimed the extension would ruin the look of the original A-listed structure, one of the few survivors of a townhouse from the era, which was built for the Earl of Panmure.

However, the university attracted worldwide support for the concept, claiming it would breath life into the building as well as raise more awareness of Smith's life and work. It will regularly house debates, seminars and conferences.

"Panmure House is the home of modern economics, and when it came up for sale by the council I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve and restore a key part of Scotland's heritage," said Professor Keith Lumsden, director of the Edinburgh Business School. "I'm delighted that we can now realise our vision for this historic building."

The 3 million venture to turn it into a major teaching and research facility for the business school has been pursued for more than three years, since City of Edinburgh Council declared it surplus to requirements.

The council decided to sell the house to the university, even though its was not the highest bid, to effectively save it for the nation - only for council officials to then object to the university's plans.

Although councillors overturned advice to throw out the university's scheme, it was later called in by the government, with its heritage agency Historic Scotland one of the other main objectors.

Inquiry reporter Dannie Onn said Panmure House was a "rare survivor" of a 17th-century townhouse in Edinburgh, but was "much altered and with the interior almost entirely lost".

He added: "The proposed works would realise the full potential of the listed building as a cultural, economic and social resource. The proposals would preserve the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building and its setting, and the character and appearance of the conservation area."

Eamonn Butler, director of the think-tank Adam Smith Institute, said: "It's taken a long time to get these plans through. This is a common sense decision which Smith himself would have approved of, as it will make Panmure House accessible again."