Historic Scotland give green light for Assembly Rooms revamp

Work on a controversial multi-million pound refurbishment of Edinburgh's historic Assembly Rooms will get under way next week after the plans were given the final backing of the national heritage watchdog.

Historic Scotland has decided against calling in the city council's plans for the landmark A-listed building, despite nearly 8,000 people backing an online campaign warning the redevelopment would have a major impact on its use during the Fringe.

The city council will begin a painstaking refurbishment of the building on 17 January which will see it ruled out of use during this year's Fringe and closed completely to all users for 18 months.

All major spaces in the Assembly Rooms, including its famous ballroom and music hall, will be completely restored while other spaces will be given over to shops and a restaurant if occupiers can be found.

Promoters who have been running shows in the venue for the last 30 years have claimed the changes would spell the end of the Assembly Rooms as a major hub for the festival and "severely prejudice" their work at the Fringe.

Last night they said they were still considering whether to continue with the campaign while refurbishment work on the building is ongoing.

Assembly's artistic director, William Burdett-Coutts, had urged First Minister Alex Salmond to intervene over the fate of the building after councillors voted in favour of the revamp last month.

However, the Scottish Government has refused to intervene, insisting it was content for Historic Scotland to decide on the council's listed building application.

Culture minister Fiona Hyslop would only have become involved had Historic Scotland decided to call in the council's application.

Although the government agency insisted it had taken levels of public concern over the refurbishment into account, it pointed out that the use of the building was a matter for the council to consider.

Supporters of the theatre company had been urged to lobby Historic Scotland to call in the plans and pass them to the Scottish Government for a final decision.

Assembly Theatre has written to thousands on its ticket database urging them to back the campaign.

Historic Scotland had approved the scheme in principle before awarding a grant of 318,000 last year for conservation work to restore the building, which dates back to 1783. A spokeswoman said its decision effectively granted final approval for the project because the council owns the building.

She added: "We were aware of the concerns raised about the scheme and our consideration of the listed building consent application took account of all aspects of the work that will affect the building fabric.

"We imposed some conditions on it and will continue to work closely with the council as we have committed to grant aid a proportion of the repairs included in the wider programme of work."Mr Burdett-Coutts told The Scotsman: "It does seem incredible that no-one seems to be taking any recognition of the level of public reaction about what is happening to the Assembly Rooms.

"There has been very little discussion or debate about these plans and it does look as if it has just been rubber-stamped by the council and Historic Scotland."