A rival developer has made an offer to buy a landmark historic building in the Scottish capital that was once earmarked as a home for the Scottish Parliament.
The Royal High School Preservation Trust (RHSPT) has declared its intent to pursue plans to move St Mary’s Music School into the famous neoclassical Thomas Hamilton buildings on Calton Hill with the £1.5 million bid.
It is a direct challenge to £75 million plan to convert the empty A-listed building into a hotel is led by Duddingston House Properties and Urbanist Hotels.
Backed by the philanthropic Dunard Fund, the Trust has made a formal legal offer to buy the iconic buildings and appointed architect Richard Murphy to develop designs to restore the site as a school, alongside conservation architects Simpson and Brown.
Edinburgh City Council granted DHP a 125-year lease after the company won an open competition.
Both developers claims to have the support of the community.
Making the announcement alongside Dr Kenneth Taylor, headteacher of St Mary’s Music School, William Gray Muir, the Chairman of the Trust, confirmed that a bid to purchase the Old Royal High School for £1.5m had been made, which they said is exceeding the value currently put on the buildings by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Mr Gray said: “The Old Royal High School buildings are crucial to the character of Edinburgh and part of the architectural heritage that attracts people to this wonderful city.
"The Trust was set up specifically to conserve and protect this masterpiece for the long-term and what better way than to restore it to its original purpose as a school?"
However architecture expert Professor Gordon Murray has supported the hotel plan which David Orr of the Urbanist Group said would create "a world-class new accessible destination for Edinburgh locals and visitors alike".
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