image: Scottish Widows building by Thomas Nugent, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Category A-listed The Scottish Widows building in Edinburgh is set to be converted into a 385-room hotel, despite heritage and infrastructure concerns, reports Deadline News.
Deadline News writes:
The Scottish Widows building, designed by Scottish architect Sir Basil Spence in the 1970s, has been empty for six years… The building is distinct for its 12 hexagonal modules, five of which will be knocked down to facilitate the conversion.
Permission had already been granted for the demolition… The council granted permission – as well as listed building consent – for the development at a meeting on Wednesday.
The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland objected… claiming that the changes would affect the Bürolandschaft open plan design… ‘central to the building’s design intent….
Southside Community Council also objected…
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said some of its original heritage concerns for the building had been allayed and welcomed the retention of the existing reception area…
…
… developer Vita said: ‘As a result of the careful design of the interventions and changes proposed the special interest of the listed building would not be notably adversely impacted, and would be sustained.’
