Scottish + Newcastle Building, Ellersly Rd, Edinburgh by RMJM
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Archial Wins Planning Consent for £35m Residential Development in Murrayfield, Edinburgh
2 Oct 2009
Archial Architects, one of the largest architecture practices in Scotland and the UK, has won planning consent from City of Edinburgh Council for its proposal to replace the now obsolete Balfour Stewart House office building in Murrayfield with a new £35 million residential development.
The Rumney Manor development will respect the characteristics of the conservation area and retain important features, such as the high stone wall surrounding the site and mature trees within the site.
The development, which remains subject to conservation area approval from Scottish Ministers, will consist of 72 homes, comprising 16 duplex apartments and 56 flats. There will be 22 family homes and 18 affordable dwellings and of the 125 car parking spaces provided across the site, all but seven will be underground.
Speaking in support of the proposals at the Planning Committee meeting, local Conservative Councillor, Cllr Jeremy Balfour said, "I am delighted that the Rumney Manor redevelopment proposals for Balfour Stewart House were approved by the Planning Committee.
"Throughout the whole process, Rumney Manor and Archial Architects have consistently consulted with the local community and responded promptly to all concerns and questions raised by constituents. I am particularly impressed with the developer's commitment to sustainability and the high quality of open space amenity which the development will enjoy."
Cameron Walker, director at Archial Architects, said, "The design solution for the site demonstrates an understanding of the location and its relationship with the adjacent and wider area.
"The layout of the site, meanwhile, balances the level of development against the need to retain mature trees, the high stone wall, an understanding of the site's topography and conservation area characteristics and accessibility to public transport. The site's appearance responds to the conservation area and adds to the characteristic of houses responding to their individual setting.
"Mature trees as a focus for open space within the development. The area of designed landscape in the south east of the site will be retained. This reflects the former usage of the site as a flagship office building and will add character to the landscape surrounding the new residential development."
The Archial Group Plc employs 170 staff in Scotland, operating from offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.
United Distillers Redevelopment
Comment: Where is Scottish Architecture going? Long gone are the optimistic days of the nineties when Lottery funding was providing opportunities for good solid buildings. In recent months we've seen big problems at The Lighthouse and even the RIAS has removed its (albeit small) exhibition space. And the credit crunch has postponed or killed off major projects of course. But even in a recession we should be able to follow a basic rule: only replace buildings with better buildings.
Scottish & Newcastle Offices
Highly controversial move to demolish brilliant RMJM-designed former S+N Headquarters
photos © Alastair Cook 2007
United Distillers Redevelopment News Update
Rumney Manor Ltd resubmitted plans by Archial Architects for demolition of existing offices & erection of 80 flats at 33 Ellersly Road, West Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
United Distillers Redevelopment Site Plan
United Distillers Redevelopment Revised Submission 8 May 2009
Rumney Manor Ltd submitted plans by SMC Hugh Martin Architects for demolition of existing offices & erection of 119 flats at 33 Ellersly Road, West Murrayfield, Edinburgh. Nov 2007
E-mails welcome at info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
33 Ellersly Road - Balfour Stewart House
1981
Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners
photos © Alastair Cook 2007
Planning Application: 07/04755/FUL
United Distillers Redevelopment Submission
Proposal:
to demolish the existing office block and erect a residential development of 119 units.
Heights: 3-7 storeys
Location: West Murrayfield Conservation Area
United Distillers Redevelopment Report
Salient Points from Report: It is recommended that this application be Refused. “This building is an important example of Scotland’s contemporary architectural legacy…The West Murrayfield Conservation Area has recently been extended to incorporate the application site. The property is specifically mentioned within the Conservation Area Character Assessment as a building of important Scottish Contemporary Architecture…. The proposed quality of the design of the proposal is not acceptable within the conservation area due to the use of reconstituted stone, massing and form of the building. The proposals do not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area.”
Summary: ”It is recommended that the Committee refuses this application for reasons relating to the unacceptable demolition of a building within a conservation area and inappropriate development in terms of scale, height and massing within the conservation area.“
United Distillers Redevelopment Report in full
Historic Scotland: ”The building was designed by Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners in 1981. It is an important office building design heralding new architectural ideals of the burgeoning Post-Modern period of the early 1980’s in Scotland, flowing on from the great drive in university and college building of the 1960s and 1970s. When this building was designed, smooth stone cladding was being reintroduced as an important stylistic element in design, and gridded towers recalled the architectural language of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It is thus linked to a national revival in the same spirit as Alvar Alto’s later architecture.
Buildings of this type and quality are few in Scotland at this period, and United Distillers arguably represents the best of its kind. It is clearly an important building, which we believe your Council specifically included within the conservation area during recent boundary changes.”
Dear Adrian,
RMJM Distillers Building, Edinburgh
I am the last person to object to a building being taken away if it has outlived its purpose and continually argue against the listing process and for all new developments to be judged on their own merits. The only proviso being that if a building of real architectural significance is to be removed then what takes its place has to be just as good or better.
The RMJM Distillers Building is the finest "recent" work in Edinburgh, in my view. An outstanding piece of modern architecture, which always raises my spirits.
I see from your news page that there is a proposal for its demolition, now that Scottish and Newcastle has left the building.
Any proposed new development must be equal in stature to the original RMJM building, not an easy task.
Yours sincerely
Alan, gordon murray + alan dunlop architects
United Distillers Building redevelopment : SMC Hugh Martin Architects
S+N: Edinburgh Building
photo © Jeremy Scott
Previous News re Balfour Stewart House:
Scottish + Newcastle reportedly moving from the Distillers Company HQ, Ellersly Rd, West Murrayfield by RMJM, 1986 to 28 St Andrew Square in newly-refurbished former Scottish Equitable offices: what will be old HQ's fate?
Photos of Scottish + Newcastle building by architect Alastair Cook:
photos © Alastair Cook 2007
Scottish + Newcastle HQ architects : RMJM
Other key RMJM Buildings:
Palm Island Dubai
Newcastle College
Scottish Parliament
British Home Stores, Edinburgh (Robert Matthew)
Homes for the Future
photos © Alastair Cook 2007
Scottish & Newcastle : Office proposal
photo © Jeremy Scott
Balfour Stewart House Reference: AJ article by Patrick Hannay at time of opening
Related buildings:
National Library of Scotland, Causewayside – the gridded fenestration
University of Edinburgh Arts (David Hume) Tower, also by Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners
LCC building, also by Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners
BHS, Princes St
Relationships:
Frank Lloyd Wright – stepped form and pitched roofs, overhangs
Mackintosh - gridded fenestration
United Distillers Building Context : Ellersly Road
Edinburgh House
United Distillers & Vintners HQ Edinburgh
Scottish & Newcastle : Office development
Edinburgh : back to index
Comments / photos for the United Distillers HQ page welcome:
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
United Distillers Building : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt