Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling on MSPs to step in over plans for a new hotel in Edinburgh.

A flurry of online complaints came after Edinburgh City Council backed the plan for the St James Centre subject to ratification.

The hotel is part of an £850 million development that will see the current St James Centre demolished and a new centre built on the site, retaining shops including John Lewis.

Work is due to begin later this year and be completed by 2020.

Architects Jestico and Whiles said earlier that the design for the five-star hotel echoed a coiled ribbon.

In their application, they said: "The ribbon emerges from the retail levels below in a flourish that initially unruly, settles on a building form until at the uppermost levels it ‘unravels’ and crescendos into a contemporary elegant spire like form soaring above roof level.

"The ribbon wraps a simple, continuous, 360 degree glass façade on a tear drop shaped building footprint, grounded to its historical context by a central sandstone clad core running through the height of the building."

Campaigner Lynsey Macfadyen said in the online petition signed by more than 300 people: "We want MSPs to overturn Edinburgh Councils decision on the 'ribbon' hotel.

"We believe that this design does not fit in with Edinburgh's historical and beautiful look and would be better suited elsewhere.

"We ask you to overturn the decision and ask it either be replaced with a more suitable design or moved elsewhere where it will fit in."

The new building will house 750,000 sq ft of shopping space space, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema.