Holyrood to spend millions on anti-terror guardhouse to protect MSPs

THE Scottish Parliament – which cost £430 million to build – is to have a multimillion-pound security upgrade, including a new building devoted to detecting potential terrorists.

Holyrood authorities are seeking an architect to design the security facility, which will stand outside the main building at the foot of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

Last night, politicians questioned whether the security threat justified such a radical and expensive upgrade.

Those who defend the arguable aesthetic qualities of the current building, which opened in 2004, expressed concerns that the new facility, which should be finished in three years, will spoil the parliament's welcoming frontage. The security "hut" will cover an area of 250 square metres and is likely to be built in front of the public entrance opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

No price tag has been put on the development, but a similar security area opened at Westminster last year cost 12.5m. The proposal has been endorsed by the parliament's security adviser and the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, the group of MSPs who look after Holyrood.

The plans emerged as work continues on other security measures around the complex that have cost about 2m.

Additional features that have been built or are under construction include a concrete "chicane" at a cost of 223,000, turnstiles costing 300,000 and bollards and leaf-shaped concrete benches costing 1.25m.

Providing a security hut to screen the 300,000 people that visit the parliament each year was suggested by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, the UK government authority that takes advice from the security services and helps organisations protect themselves against the terrorist threat.

But Green MSP Patrick Harvie questioned whether such drastic action was really required. "The obsession with security measures is largely cosmetic, pretty pointless and growing unacceptably expensive," he said.

"Holyrood has never been attacked, but even if a risk exists, no building can ever be made completely safe without becoming a fortress. It's vital to the purpose of parliament that it should be a public and welcoming place."

He added: "Adding a ring of concrete sends entirely the wrong message and won't do much to reassure the public that MSPs have their priorities right."

But security experts argued that having a separate security building could thwart potential suicide bombers.

A spokesman for the Association of Security Consultants said: "This sort of thing is vital now. One of the main reasons for this is that people are not necessarily concerned about their personal safety when they commit an attack and that changes the whole ball game in relation to security protection.

"It is now very good security practice to have your screening away from the main part of the building."

A Holyrood spokeswoman said: "This work is for the greater protection of building users and the 300,000-plus public visitors, including a number of school children, we receive every year."

Any new security design would "respect the architectural significance of the building and surrounding area," the spokeswoman added.