Chris Stewart Group, one of Scotland’s top property developers, has submitted plans for a major hotel and aparthotel for the West End of the Scottish capital.
Architect 3DReid has lodged proposals for the property giant to City of Edinburgh Council for the 115-room facility across three sites.
A statement to planners describes “a key corner site at the western end of Princes Street” and continues: “Through acquiring and combining several adjacent buildings that have been under-utilised for many years, it is now possible for significant regeneration to happen through a coordinated proposal for re-development and refurbishment."
It said that since starting out 25 years ago, Chris Stewart Group has “earned its position at the vanguard of urban regeneration and real estate place-making”.
Recent projects include Old Town Chambers, a collection of historic buildings in and around Advocate’s Close and the Royal Mile which are now 74 luxury serviced apartments and a collection of restaurants and bars, and The Edinburgh Grand, the conversion of the A-listed former Royal Bank of Scotland on St Andrew’s Square.
The statement said: “The site comprises a range of separate buildings that together form the urban block at the junction of Shandwick Place and Queensferry Street. The corner is marked by the imposing free-renaissance façade of the former Commercial Bank/Caledonian United Services Club - by Sydney Mitchell & Wilson 1901 - whose shaped gables and pimple dome is designed to maximise the building’s presence at the western end of the Princes Street and mark a transition from First New Town to the West End.
“The upper floors are presently vacant and under-used, interiors are in need of considerable repair and upgrading to bring them back into use
“It is proposed to convert existing buildings for hotel/aparthotel use, providing connections to adjoining properties facing Shandwick Place, Queensferry Street and Queensferry Street Lane to form a new service-hotel destination for the West End.”
The acquisition of the former betting shop at number two and retail units at numbers four to eight Queensferry Street “enables a new reception lobby to be provided at Street Level with shared lounge and seating areas extending to the rear”.
It added: “Most of the proposed accommodation, 115 bedrooms total, can be contained within the existing building fabric although some alterations and extensions at roof level and to the rear facing the lane are required to facilitate the proposal.”
Design team 3DReid has been involved since 2021 and has worked in close collaboration with CSG, Buro-Happold, Turley and Scott Hobbs Planning to develop the current proposal.
Scottish Government publish 'tourism tax' legislation
Visitors to Scotland could soon pay a tourist tax with ministers set to devolve powers to councils allowing them to bring in a charge for anyone staying in overnight accommodation.
The Scottish Government published the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill on Thursday morning, following years of debate. If backed by MSPs, local authorities will be able to add a charge on all overnight accommodation, based on a percentage of the total costs. Edinburgh Council has already pledged to introduce the charge as soon as it can.
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