PLANS for a hotel, offices and 350 homes at a former Royal Bank of Scotland site in the Scottish capital have been granted.

It is subject to conditions including relating to height, affordable housing, the hotel and the park at the site called the New Town Quarter.

Consultation by Ediston and Orion began before the site was acquired from RBS and has involved four formal public consultation events, the developers said.

The £250m plans include a 116 bedroom hotel which fronts onto Dundas Street to the west, Eyre Terrace to the east and onto the new public realm link route to the south.

The main entrance will sit at the junction with Dundas Street. The hotel block is expected to include a bar and restaurant.

READ MORE: Plans for ‘New Town Quarter’ on former RBS site in Edinburgh

A portion of the ground level is a double height area with café, restaurant and lounge area.

The Herald: View from above.View from above.

The office block is located on the south west corner of the site. It covers to 9,820 sqm gross external area. There is also a retail unit of 282 sqm at street level on Dundas Street. 

READ MORE: Hotel, homes and office plan ‘will create 760 jobs’ at former RBS site in Edinburgh

Edinburgh City Council planning officials said: “Historic Environment Scotland does not object to the application but has concerns with some elements of the scheme, such as the relationship of the proposals with some listed buildings.

“However, when viewed in the urban context of the site, coupled with the benefits of redeveloping the site with a more sympathetic design taking cognisance of the listed buildings, and the retention of the trees, the character and setting of the listed buildings is preserved.”

Councillors on the development management sub committee voted seven to four in favour of the plans.

The Herald: Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of CommerceStuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce (Image: Newsquest)

Support for Metro is huge step for Glasgow

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READ MORE: Publication of the Phase One report of the Scottish Government’s second Strategic Transport Projects Review confirmed that the Metro would be included and work would continue on the strategic business case. This is a victory for the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, who set up the Glasgow Connectivity Commission and who has argued consistently for the Metro.

The Herald: Picture: Getty ImagesPicture: Getty Images

Smaller firms failing on boardroom diversity

FTSE Small Cap 100 (SMC) and Alternative Investment Market (AIM) companies are failing to make progress on racial diversity, according to new research.

READ MORE: In its second annual diversity report, fund management services provider Company Matters found that 96 per cent of AIM UK 50 directors and 95% of SMC directors are white – in the last year there has only been one net addition across both cohorts. 

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