Plans have been lodged for a hotel development that it is claimed will give "viable new life" to a historic Scottish city centre landmark.

A large hotel group has put forward the proposals it said will "help secure the long term future" of the building it acquired from an insurance giant.

Dalata Hotel Group has submitted plans to the City of Edinburgh Council to transform the former office block at a key site in the New Town Unesco World Heritage Site.

It plans to operate its Clayton Hotels brand from St Andrew Square.

The developer, which has Hawkins/Brown Architects as lead designer, said: "Previous Clayton Hotel projects have taken on other historic buildings and built new extensions to maximise suitability, allowing the building to be utilised and enjoyed for years to come."

The Herald: The building from another angleThe building from another angle (Image: Dalata/Hawkins Brown)

Dalata also said in its statement: "The adaptive reuse of 28 St Andrew Square as a four-star hotel is a unique opportunity to transform a significant Category A listed building within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site.

"These proposed works will help secure the long-term future of this heritage asset by giving it a viable new life. Allowing public access to this listed building will provide continuous activation to a key area within the city centre.

The Herald: How the hotel might look insideHow the hotel might look inside (Image: Dalata/Hawkins Brown)

"Not only will the hotel provide for visitors to the city, but also for local businesses through the provision of meeting rooms and workspaces, in line with the Clayton Hotel brand."

The new proposed scheme is to be a change of use from an office to a hotel. The site has existing consent for "proposed internal and external alterations to existing office building to include removal of current extension and the provision of a new rear and rooftop extension, including cycle parking and associated facilities".

A number of planning applications have been made for the site previously, for alterations and refurbishment, with earlier consent granted for change of use from office to hotel in the late 1990s.

Dalata announced plans to open a 153-bedroom hotel in Edinburgh last year. Ireland's largest hotel operator acquired the development site for £12.5 million from Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited.


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