Architect Warns Against 'Super Hostel' Proposal in Edinburgh's West End
A conservation architect has expressed serious concerns regarding plans to develop a 544-room "super hostel" on a World Heritage site located in Edinburgh's west end.
The proposal involves converting four Category A-listed townhouses along with associated mews buildings at Atholl Crescent. This plan has attracted over 280 formal objections.
Local residents, elected officials, and heritage organizations have strongly criticized the development, although Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) has notably refrained from objecting to the project.
The planning application was refused by the City of Edinburgh Council in December, and the developer has since lodged an appeal with the Scottish government.
Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland Calls for Reconsideration
Jocelyn Cunliffe, chair of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS), has urged Edinburgh World Heritage to reconsider its stance following unanimous condemnation of the plans by all four city centre councillors, who also criticized the developer's approach.
"How a building is used matters just as much as how it is altered.
The issue is not simply the physical alterations that may or may not take place. It is the scale and intensity of the proposed use.
Cramming in hundreds of sleeping pods into those spaces inevitably alters that character, regardless of whether the pods themselves are technically removable."
Cunliffe highlighted the potential wider impact of approving such a development, emphasizing the risk to the city's heritage.
"If developments of this scale and intensity are considered acceptable within some of the most important Georgian buildings in the New Town, what precedent does that set for other streets and crescents?
These pressures cannot be allowed to erode the very qualities that make the city special."
Developer's Vision and Site Significance
According to documents submitted to the Scottish government by the developers, the project aims to attract "the new wave of travellers" who seek "meaningful experiences, great locations, and real value for money."
The proposals include converting existing office spaces into hotel use, with guest bedrooms distributed across five floors and the mews building.
The hotel is planned to offer a combination of private double rooms and ensuite capsule rooms, totaling 78 bedrooms with 544 beds.
Atholl Crescent is part of Edinburgh's New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized internationally for its architectural and urban planning significance.
Designed in the early 19th century by architect Thomas Bonnar, the crescent exemplifies Georgian town planning through its uniform terraces and carefully proportioned residential buildings.
The properties were formerly occupied as offices by a legal firm but have been vacant in recent years.
The appeal, submitted by developer Atholl Crescent Propco Ltd, is currently under review by a reporter at the Scottish government's planning and environmental appeals division.
Edinburgh World Heritage has been contacted for comment.
