Demolition of Edinburgh store to make way for £100m hotel given go-ahead
Councillors in Edinburgh have given the green light to proposals that will see the demolition of a former fashion store to make way for a £100m hotel.
The proposed development on Princes Street will be built across the former Next, Zara, and Russell and Bromley Stores, with the former set to be demolished in its entirety.
The building, which is a retail and office building dating back to 1971, “is not considered to have a positive relationship with the street”, according to the proposals.
Independent property development management firm Hunter REIM and Ruby Hotels are leading the development, which would see the delivery of around 250 jobs to the proposed 300-bed hotel.
Andrew Moffat, managing director of Hunter REIM, said: “Developing in a world heritage site is always challenging, but we are confident that this will be a transformational development for Princes Street, and particularly for the western end of the street which has struggled in recent years.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the council, Ruby Hotels and local stakeholders to create a development of which everyone will be proud.”
Roddy Smith, chief executive of BID Essential Edinburgh, said: “These proposals are a huge improvement for Princes Street – and will I am sure, encourage more investment to come forward. Whilst Edinburgh’s city centre has bounced back stronger than any other city centre in the UK outside London, we can never be complacent about the city’s future. This is a very good day for our city centre.”
The nearby former Debenhams store was recently brought to market, with the site also previously green-lit for the construction of a hotel.