{"id":846790,"date":"2026-03-24T09:21:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/846790\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T09:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:21:17","slug":"edinburgh-heritage-body-in-row-over-proposed-500-bed-hostel-in-unesco-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/846790\/","title":{"rendered":"Edinburgh heritage body in row over proposed 500-bed hostel in UNESCO site"},"content":{"rendered":"

Campaigners say they are \u2018perplexed\u2019 at a decision by EWH (slogan: Looking after Edinburgh\u2019s World Heritage Site)<\/a> not to oppose the planning application, drawn up by ICA Studio<\/a>, for a dormitory-style hostel within Edinburgh\u2019s New Town, which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, the chair of Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) joined voices urging EWH to reconsider, warning that the charity\u2019s position sets it \u2018at odds with professional opinion and civic opposition\u2019, citing condemnation from all four City Centre Ward councillors.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Philip Flockhart, director of architects Morris and Steedman Associates and spokesman for New Town residents who oppose the plans, has described the proposal as \u2018simply misconceived\u2019.<\/p>\n

The planning application has attracted 267 objections, compared with just three comments in support. Angry residents confronted Scottish Government planning officials at the site last month after developer Blackrock lodged an appeal directly with the Government before local councillors had the chance to determine the application.<\/p>\n

EWH is a charity set up to protect the Old and New Town conservation areas in Edinburgh. In response to the controversy, it has pointed out that it does not support the proposals, but rather finds them \u2018acceptable\u2019 due to their \u2018heritage-led approach\u2019, adding that the ICA Studio\u2019s scheme would be reversible, owing to its use of removable pods and limited internal work.<\/p>\n

It also highlighted that a heritage assessment had been conducted by the city council as part of the planning application.<\/p>\n

The charity noted that a \u2018substantial modern extension\u2019 had already been built over the properties\u2019 former gardens, and that this would house much of the new development.<\/p>\n

Historic Environment Scotland did not object to the proposals, although it clarified that this did not mean that it considered the proposals were desirable.<\/p>\n

Campaigners have challenged claims made by EWH, arguing that the adaption of the historic building to accommodate 10 times more occupants that the original design would cause lasting damage.<\/p>\n

Flockhart said: \u2018It is inexplicable that EWH should find itself as the only supporter for this project among the other heritage bodies.<\/p>\n

\u2018In the UK there are only two UNESCO World Heritage Sites which are extensive urban areas \u2013 Bath and Edinburgh, and our UNESCO designation must be robustly protected.<\/p>\n

\u2018EWH is an esteemed organisation and its support carries weight. That\u2019s why it is so important that it considers changing its position on this proposal.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Philip Flockhart, director of architects Morris and Steedman Associates, is acting as spokesman for New Town residents. Photograph: Morris and Steedman Associates<\/p>\n

Other organisations which oppose the project are the Cockburn Association, the West End Community Council and the AHSS.<\/p>\n

In a formal objection, the Cockburn Association said the hostel would cause \u2018substantial and irreversible harm to the special architectural and historic interest\u2019 of the terrace. It insisted that the \u2018intensive subdivision of principal spaces, installation of pod-style units and new services throughout\u2019 would result in \u2018substantial and irreversible harm\u2019 to the listed structures.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile AHSS pointed to \u2018many gaps in the information provided\u2019 and argued that the proposed capsules were \u2018not compatible with the architectural qualities and characteristics of Category A-listed Georgian townhouses\u2019.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018How a building is used matters just as much as how it is altered\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jocelyn Cunliffe, AHSS chair and former partner at Gray, Marshall & Associates said: \u2018How a building is used matters just as much as how it is altered.<\/p>\n

\u2018The 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.\u2019<\/p>\n

Current and former members of EWH have also come out in opposition to its stance. EWH board member and Edinburgh councillor Margaret Graham said she \u2018completely support(s) the residents and WECC in the efforts to stop this development\u2019.<\/p>\n

And Krystyna Szumelukowa, a former vice-chair of EWH, also objected and has written a letter to the current director urging him to reconsider the proposal.<\/p>\n

The hostel planning application was submitted in September 2025 and currently awaits a decision from the Scottish Government\u2019s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division.<\/p>\n

ICA Studio has been invited to comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Campaigners say they are \u2018perplexed\u2019 at a decision by EWH (slogan: Looking after Edinburgh\u2019s World Heritage Site) not…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":846791,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8816],"tags":[748,1102,4884,28066,712,16,13560,15],"class_list":["post-846790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-edinburgh","tag-britain","tag-edinburgh","tag-great-britain","tag-heritage","tag-scotland","tag-uk","tag-unesco","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116283420657970355","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/846790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=846790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/846790\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/846791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=846790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=846790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=846790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}