HERITAGE watchdogs and planners have warned a move to turn a landmark former school into a luxury hotel could risk the Scottish capital's World Heritage Site status.
It comes as developers Duddingston House Properties and Urbanist Group prepare to unveil their plans to the public for the revamp of the old Royal High School on Edinburgh's Calton Hill, designed by Thomas Hamilton, that it is hoped will be transformed into one of Scotland's most prestigious hotels.
However the watchdog charged with overseeing the capital's World Heritage Site has said the plans need a "deep rethink".
Hamilton's 1829 masterpiece is described as the best example of Greek Revival architecture in Scotland.
Concerns have been raised however over preserving the integrity of the A-listed structure once considered as home to the new Scottish Parliament as it is refurbished under a 125-year lease deal with the council.
Historic Scotland, Edinburgh City Council and Edinburgh World Heritage, which polices the prized status across the New and Old Towns, praised aspects of the project but have warned over its overall impact ahead of the opening of the buildings' doors this Friday and Saturday to allow members of the public to view the plans.
Designed by award-winning architect Gareth Hoskins, the new six-star hotel would have Hamilton's restored building, which has sat empty for decades, as its centrepiece.
When operational the hotel could create 640 local jobs and contribute on average £27 million annually to the local economy.
Warnings over the plans, which have attracted £55 million from investors, were revealed in correspondence following a series of workshops last year held by the developers that was obtained by the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland.
AHSS is holding a public meeting on the plans later this month involving key UK heritage figures in Edinburgh.
In the documents, Adam Wilkinson, director of the EWH, said that "the development team was simply asking too much of the site" that would "clearly have a negative impact on outstanding universal value".
"This signals the need for a deep rethink in the approach that is to be adopted to the disposal of the site and its subsequent development."
David Leslie, Edinburgh City Council's acting head of planning, said: "Planning is concerned that, as presented so far, the combined and cumulative impacts of both the alterations to the listed building and the new development would have a clear detrimental impact on the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building and its setting, the character and appearance of the conservation area and the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site."
He added: "Alongside other classical buildings on the hill, it forms a set piece that embodies the 'Athens of the North' concept."
Andrew Martindale, of Historic Scotland, said that an "unacceptably high level of impact" could result from the proposals.
Euan Leitch, spokesman for AHSS, said the documents showed Historic Scotland, the council and EWH "all have continued to advise that the scheme they were being shown had unacceptable impacts upon the building and its setting within the World Heritage Site".
A spokesperson for DHP and Urbanist Group said: "This project has the scope to rescue the Old Royal High School from its current distressed state while also giving Edinburgh and Scotland a hotel of international standing.
"The team working on the building restoration and hotel design are taking great care to consult all relevant expert opinion before developing a final plan. Discussions with key groups began several months ago and continues.
"This input has already influenced the ongoing development of the proposals which will be further developed following extensive public consultation.
The first phase of this process begins on Friday this week.
"An exhibition of the further developed designs, which are expected to address the consultation process fully, will follow on March 5 and 6 prior to an application being submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council for planning consent."
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