Caltongate Project - News Update, 6 Jun 2009
UNESCO inspectors' report demands the council review the whole Caltongate development according to The Scotsman. UNESCO inspectors are reportedly demanding a reprieve for two listed buildings threatened with demolition, removal of the new building on Jeffrey Street, and a full review of how the development would impact on views from Calton Hill. With the developer in administration the city council is now under intense pressure to react, as they retain ownership of the land designated for the hotel.

Caltongate Development

Caltongate News Update - 4 Apr 2009
Taskforce, led by Save Our Old Town, set up to rejuvenate empty buildings and landscape vacant space left by the collapse of developers Mountgrange.

Caltongate News Update - 23 Mar 2009
The developers Mountgrange Capital have gone into administration.

Empty Caltongate site:

images © adrian welch

Directors of Mountgrange Capital - Martin Myers and Manish Chande - have appointed Deloitte but are reportedly also considering buying the firm's assets out of administration.

Text from Malcolm Fraser + James Simpson. 2 Apr 2009 [see link above]


Approval - News Update
Approved by Ministers Sep 2008 - no Public Enquiry


pictures from the developers

Caltongate Architects:
Allan Murray Architects - masterplan
Allan Murray Architects + CDA - main section
RHWL + Page\Park - hotel
Malcolm Fraser Architects - Jeffrey Street and/or Leith Wynd building
Zone Architects - Market Street Arches



In the Summer of 2008 at least 60 architects in Edinburgh have lost their jobs due to the credit crunch and housing market failure: approval of the Caltongate project will help the city and especially in the near future all those involved in property, development and construction. Issues re the removal of buildings on the historic High Street and the lovely Victorian school have understandably upset campaigners and lessons must be learnt re dialogue.
However even the smallest proposal in central Edinburgh - such as Richard Murphy's considered Hart Street house design - are lambasted before they hit planning so dialogue is clearly difficult when a kneejerk reaction to any changes, especially contemporary architecture, is guaranteed.
Adrian Welch, 1 Oct 2008

Caltongate Context Photographs on Royal Mile from Oct 2008:

images © Adrian Welch

Previously, Aug 2008:
Caltongate Problems
As developments in the capital grind to a halt and architects lay off staff the latest casualty is the major Caltongate scheme. A "procedural mistake" has been made by the planning department.

Council Officials have disastrously been forced to write back to all 350 Caltongate objectors, inviting them to submit further comments and present any new evidence they believe should be considered. This may delay the project.

The requirement to give objectors another 14 days to comment was apparently overlooked by council officials. The Caltongate planning application will have to be considered again, before going back to ministers for another final decision.

Development in the city is notoriously slow - the project received planning way back in June 2007.

The UNESCO review of the city's World Heritage Status - reportedly driven by concerns over Caltongate - may be sited by objectors.

The Town and Country Planning (notification of applications) (Scotland) Direction 2007 requires councils with a financial interest in a development to contact all objectors after a local decision has been reached. Only after residents have been given a further chance to comment should ministers be asked to make a final decision. 7 Aug



UNESCO / Caltongate - News Update Jul 2008
Like the IOC and the European Commission, UNESCO is an undemocratic body that wields immense power. Apparently the Government's decision not to call the Caltongate plans in has made Unesco want to review the city's world heritage status: they will send a mission to Edinburgh, in particular to the Caltongate development

Caltongate Approved
Caltongate proposals approved, but to be referred to Scottish ministers + demolition of Canongate tenements unapproved. Controversial meeting lasted until after 7pm


image from Mountgrange via PPS Group 290507

Caltongate - News
James Simpson condemned the Caltongate project, saying it would damage Edinburgh's World Heritage Site.

He maintained that the Caltongate developers should "go back to the drawing board....The case for demolition has not been made at all. It is in good repair, is structurally sound and is still in use for its original purpose....There is no doubt that the redevelopment of the old bus depot site at New Street is a good thing but I do think it is regrettable that the council has seen fit to encourage the developer to develop a wider area by knocking down listed buildings and a perfectly good tenement building on the Canongate....In a medieval town like Edinburgh, any development should be kept to a minimum but it has been profoundly misguided to encourage a development as big as this one is now."


photo © Adrian Welch 270907

James Simpson said demolishing the tenement would be against policies and guidance of Historic Scotland and the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.
300807

In a separate development a decision on the Caltongate devlopment is delayed due to a site visit following objections from Canongate Kirk re 5-storey blocks on Calton Road


images from Mountgrange via PPS Group 290507

On the Scotsman’s Forum the proposals are described with vitriol, eg. “Boring, unattractive, and with no sense of place or style” and compared with Tel Aviv, central Frankfurt & Plymouth!

Ipsos MORI is collecting views on the proposed regeneration of the former New Street bus depot and East Market Street (known commonly as Caltongate) on behalf of a range of organisations including the developers (Mountgrange Caltongate Ltd), the Caltongate Liaison Group and the City of Edinburgh Council.
Survey: http://surveys.ipsos-or.com/wix/p36822349.aspx

Caltongate - News
A+DS design review generally supportive of proposals, Jul 2007

Caltongate - Malcolm Fraser Architects' proposals
View looking east along Market Street with Jeffrey Street above, right:


Edinburgh's new city council leader describes latest Caltongate proposals for the site between Jeffrey St and Market St as 'grotesque and hideous.....pretty gross'. It's not only Jenny Dawe that seems hot and bothered: vitriolic comments (some clearly crazy) abound on the Evening News forum as the Anti-Caltongate campaign [Save Our Old Town group] seems to gain yet more strength. It seems like the whole debate that erupted re Allan Murray Architects' proposals for this site (for EDI) has reignited. 220507

Market Street view with Zone Architects' Arches redevelopment in foreground:


Caltongate hotel image (no larger picture, apologies):

image from Mountgrange via PPS Group 290507

Caltongate development public meeting
24 May, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge
Organiser: Old Town Community Council

New Street Edinburgh - 30 Jan 2007 Photos:



New Street Edinburgh - 4 Oct 2006 Update:
Planning Approved

Architects involved at this site:
Allan Murray Architects + CDA - main section, former New St Bus Station
RHWL + Page\Park Architects - hotel
Malcolm Fraser Architects - Jeffrey Street and/or Leith Wynd building
Zone Architects - Market St Arches

Comments / information re Caltongate development welcome: info@e-architect.co.uk

Caltongate project context : Edinburgh City Council HQ

New St Bus Depot - Competition
Winners announced Mar 2005:

New Street Edinburgh: image © adrian welch

CDA - with Allan Murray Architects - competition win for New St Bus Station redevelopment announced at last: £150m scheme for Mountgrange Capital. The proposal replaces previous Gensler / Hackland & Dore Calton Gate scheme for Cuckfield

Jan 06 News Update:
Calton Gate pedestrian bridge over Waverley Valley reportedly put on hold.


photo © Adrian Welch 270907

Nov 05 News Update:
New Street Edinburgh
Canongate Community Forum has, in their words (e-mail to Adrian Welch Dec05), "been set up by 2 local residents in the Canongate to raise awareness of the proposed Mountgrange Ltd plans and the City of Edinburgh Council's involvement; formed following developer Mountgrange's plans to flatten listed flats to make way for offices, modern apartments and a five-star hotel: New Street Edinburgh.



North Canongate Infant School is listed, known as Canongate Venture these days, built by Robert Wilson 1900-01. Also listed: 221-227 Canongate 1930's tenements, part of the pioneering work at 221-229 Canongate by E J MacRae.
Canongate Community Forum's Save Our Old Town campaign: www.eh8.org.uk".



Caltongate : previous proposals

Designers working on the project:
CDA
RHWL
Page\Park Architects
Malcolm Fraser Architects
Zone Architects

Caltongate development context : Edinburgh Old Town

Calton Gate - Gensler Architects
£100m mixed-use development, New Street, Edinburgh
received detailed planning permission from City of Edinburgh Council:

redevelopment image from Gensler Architects

Calton Gate was designed for the Cuckfield Group by one of the world's largest Architects practices, Gensler, with Hackland & Dore Architects of Edinburgh

Scottish Architecture

Calton Hill

Edinburgh Tours : Architecture Walking Tours

Calton Square

Caltongate buildings context : Calton Road



Edinburgh News : back to index

Caltongate masterplan architects : Allan Murray Architects

Comments / photos for the Caltongate Development Architecture page welcome:
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk

Caltongate Edinburgh Building : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt