PLANS to restore one of Edinburgh's finest art deco banking halls as part of a £60 million regeneration project have been revealed.
Developers hope to renovate the former RBS headquarters at St Andrew Square to create variety of uses, including a dramatic restaurant space within the former banking hall.
The Chris Stewart Group, which is currently consulting on plans for the regeneration of The Registers, the area on the south east corner of St Andrew Square and West Register Street, is behind the proposal.
The 1942 building was designed by architects Leslie Grahame Thomson and Arthur Davis and is an example of early modern neo classical architecture.
It has a circular top lit entrance atrium and finely detailed banking hall with decorative etched windows depicting eight traditional industries of Scotland.
However, having now lain empty for a number of years, the building is on the at risk register, while significant modifications have impacted on the grandeur of the space.
Plans for its restoration will go on display at a public exhibition to be held in the building's foyer tomorrow. The regeneration of The Registers area includes high quality office space, hotel, serviced apartments, retail units and restaurants.
Andrew Wright, the architectural historian for the project, said: "The banking hall is an architectural gem and it would be a major benefit to the city to see the principal spaces preserved and any damaged restored with this development.
"I would encourage those interested in good examples of design from the 1930s to attend the exhibition on January 20th to view the plans for giving this building a new lease of life."
Chris Stewart, CEO of Chris Stewart Group, said: "We hope to restore this magnificent banking hall as part of plans to bring new life to The Registers.
"We want to build upon the quality and drama of the city centre environment with beautiful buildings, new businesses and a vastly improved public realm, and intend to submit our detailed planning application within the next couple of months."
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