£300m Caltongate project in for planning, but campaigners fear it could jeopardise city’s world heritage status

Heritage campaigners have pledged to step up their campaign to block a £300 million scheme for Edinburgh’s Old Town as it begins its passage through planning.

The campaigners claim the Caltongate project, masterplanned by Allan Murray for developer Mountgrange, will jeopardise the city’s Unesco world heritage status.

The scheme includes a hotel, a live music venue with a capacity of up to 1,500, and more than 200 homes, with schemes by Malcolm Fraser, RHWL, Zone Architects and Page & Park.

Despite a number of changes made ahead of its recent submission for planning permission, the Save Our Old Town campaign has vowed to continue fighting the project.

The revised scheme reduces the height of the hotel and introduces more affordable housing. But Julie Logan, spokeswoman for Save Our Old Town, said: “Nothing of any significance has changed as a result of the consultation process. The affordable housing is in a grotty part of town and the old buildings are still going to be destroyed.

“There is a strong possibility that we could lose our heritage status as a result of this.”

It also objects to the demolition of two listed buildings and 1930s tenement blocks to make way for a footpath linking Caltongate with a new public square via the Royal Mile.

But Murray, who is working on residential elements of the scheme, called the project a “great opportunity to create public space and walkways” linking the old town and the Scottish Parliament.

Mountgrange also defended the “exciting and ambitious” scheme, claiming it was an opportunity to bring new people and resources to a run-down part of town.

“This scheme represents a great opportunity for Edinburgh, and we have been through a lengthy two-year consultation process to make sure we have addressed the key concerns of objectors,” said Mountgrange director Nick Berry.

“There are some people that will never be satisfied, but if you are in favour of regeneration this is something to be really excited about.This is modern vernacular architecture that can revitalise the area.”

Architecture & Design Scotland, which objected to elements of the original masterplan, said that “many” of its concerns had now been addressed.

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