Revised plans launched for Edinburgh’s New Town Quarter

Proposal of Application Notice lodged for residential units to replace Hotel option

Plans have been submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council for the New Town Quarter development. Proposals include a mix of new homes, offices and public amenities on the 5.9-acre former Royal Bank of Scotland site, at the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. 

We have received a huge amount of interest in our proposals – including more than 4,000 visitors to our website from Edinburgh, Scotland and across the world. This has become one of the largest consultations ever carried out for a city centre development and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to it by passing on their views and comments, all of which has helped shape our final application.

It is hoped that the application will be discussed at committee by the City of Edinburgh Council in December 2020.

For more information on the New Town Quarter, please click HERE

Ediston and Orion Capital Managers have lodged a new Proposal of Application for the New Town Quarter, one of the largest city centre developments to come forward in Edinburgh for a generation.

Plans were originally submitted to the city council at the end of July for offices, new homes and a hotel on the 5.9 acre former Royal Bank of Scotland site on Dundas Street in the heart of the New Town.

Now, updated proposals have been brought forward to provide around 79 new residential units to replace the hotel ‘as a response to changes in the economic climate caused by the coronavirus outbreak’.

The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) means there will now be additional public consultation for the new application – this was launched on 8th October.

Welcoming the proposals, Ross McNulty, Development Director at Ediston, said: “This is the largest brownfield site to come forward in the city centre for many years and we have worked closely with the community and local organisations to create a high quality and vibrant new mixed-use neighbourhood.

“Understandably, there is now a need to review the development mix considering the huge impact that Covid-19 has had on the Scottish and global economies.

“While we remain positive that our overall proposals are robust, the reduced activity in the hospitality sector has driven a need to consider an alternative option for the hotel element of the development.”

Ross McNulty continued: “We have already carried out one of the most extensive consultations on a development in Edinburgh, and we would like to thank all the residents and groups that have provided feedback.

“Our proposals will provide a major economic boost to the local area and to the city centre and whilst our review has shown the proposals to be robust despite the impact on the Covid-19 crisis, it has highlighted the need to consider an alternative use to the hotel.

“Edinburgh’s economy is one of the strongest and most resilient in the UK and we are encouraged that New Town Quarter remains on track.”

The PAN is to be lodged imminently with the Council and the public consultation will also be publicised and commence shortly.

The change in approach will require a separate planning application involving another public consultation programme, most likely to be held online. The overall development has already been subject to three separate consultations, the most recent of which took place online in April.

Latest research shows the New Town Quarter is poised to bring significant economic benefit to the local area, and the wider in the city centre.

The operational phase of the development the community and local organisations to create a high quality and would create more than 700 full-time jobs whilst generating an annual GVA (Gross Added Value) economic uplift of £34.4 million to the local and regional economy.

The construction phase alone would create a further £27.7 million at a regional level, creating a further 60 full time jobs. Many of the area’s local bars, restaurants, cafes, barbers, hairdressers, and shops are also set to benefit from the huge amount of business and activity that development is set to generate during construction and beyond.

For more information visit: www.newtownnorth.co.uk