Written by a former Member of OTCC and with a multitude of contributions from individuals in Let There Be Light and further afield, this is our story of how the City of Edinburgh Council agreed to sell some of our public assets and allow the building of a Virgin Hotel here, in the centre of Old Town.
Complaint to CEC
OTCC formally complained to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) about Planning Application 15/04445/FUL India Buildings (Virgin) Hotel.
The first document summarises OTCCs questions and recommendations, versus the responses received from CEC.
The second and third documents are OTCC’s complaint letter (December 2017) and the response received from the City of Edinburgh Council (January 2018).
Supplementary information
The following is OTCC’s collection of articles, paper and other information published, with respect to the proposed Virgin Hotel. The information is listed chronologically from today to 1970. Please do let us know of other information you would like added to this page.
Our other collections are at: Crime / Incidents, Grassmarket, Old Town BID, Princes Street Gardens, Royal Mile, Short-term lets
2018
Our Case for enacting Section 65 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 OTCC, March
Thomas & Adamson awarded Virgin Hotel project Edinburgh News, 12th March 2018
Appeal against India Buildings development dismissed Scottish Legal News, 8th March
Edinburgh firm to project manage city’s Virgin hotel development Edinburgh News, 7th March
Just 1 in 15 elected-Councillors agree to meet MP and OTCC OTCC, 6th March 2018
Refusal of challenge to India Buildings development Morton Fraser, 6th March
Local Government Communities Committee : submission by Mary Gordon Scottish Parliament, February
Review of meeting to launch the Section 65 appeal Let There Be Light – Edinburgh, 20th February
The first Virgin Hotel outside the US announced Virgin.com, February 2018
Family connection leads to Sir Richard Branson opening first Virgin Hotel in city Events Base Magazine, February
Tree protest man loses appeal in bid to block hotel development The National, January
Assessment of the India Buildings Development OTCC, January 2018
2017
All I want for Christmas is a Section 65 OTCC, December
Reclaim the City Bellacaledonia.org.uk, December
Let There Be Light meeting, 7th December OTCC, December
Legal challenge against Old Town development fails Scottish Legal News, 30th October
Judge back hotel plans for Edinburgh’s Old Town The Times, 21st October
Judicial Review of a decision by Edinburgh City Council : opinion of Lady Wise Court of Session, 20th October
India Buildings Ltd registered Guernsey Registry, 11th October
India Building Developments Limited incorporated Companies House, 30th June
Save Edinburgh Central Library Crowdfunder, May
Building On The Past : the push for progress doesn’t have to be at odds with preservation Holyrood Magazine, April
Campaigner defends Cowgate in court The Edinburgh Reporter, March
Developers evict Edinburgh protester living in a tree Edinburgh News, March
Tree protester evicted from hotel site in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket BBC, March
Developer vows to remove tree protester BBC, March
Set up trust to halt Edinburgh’s public buildings sell-off, says heritage watchdog The Herald, February
The grandest Andrew Carnegie libraries around the World The Scotsman, January
2016
Concerning the Future of Edinburgh’s Central Library and the City’s World Heritage Status raggeduniversity.co.uk, November 2016
Edinburgh’s Age of endarkenment : development is “ripping heart from city” The Guardian, September
Time to stop and think about our City’s future Edinburgh News, September
Central Library redesignated from Category B to Category A Historic Environment Scotland, July
Protest over Edinburgh development shows we need to reassess City vision Scottish Greens, June
Protesters camp out in bid to hobble £65m Old Town Hotel Edinburgh News, June
ICA secures planning approval for major mixed-use development weareica.com, June
Switching off the light at the Central Library EOTDT, May
Architect warns of dark future for library amid protests over hotel plan The Herald, May
Neil Simpson : Hotel plan damages future of Central Library, Edinburgh News, May
India Buildings Old Town hotel to go ahead despite objections Edinburgh News, May
Edinburgh clinic for homeless people faces closure Scottish Housing News, May
£65 million Edinburgh hotel plan ‘to be given go-ahead’ despite UNESCO concerns The Herald, May
Development Management Sub-Committee of Planning Committee : Webcast City of Edinburgh Council, May
Development Management Sub-Committee of Planning Committee : Item 6.1(a) Protocol Note : City of Edinburgh Council, May
Development Management Sub-Committee of Planning Committee : Item 6.1(b)-(f) Minutes : City of Edinburgh Council, May
2015
Objection to Application 15/04445/FUL Cockburn Association, November
New Images of £65m India Buildings Hotel Development Edinburgh News, October
India Buildings Development : guidance for objectors EOTDT, October
Ambitious India Buildings Development JansonsProperty.com, July
The Edinburgh 12 City of Edinburgh Council, July
India Buildings set for a fresh lease of life Urban Realm, June
Luxury four star hotel-complex for Victoria Street Edinburgh News, June
Panorama view of Victoria Street PanoramaStreetLine.com, May
The Edinburgh 12 City of Edinburgh Council, January
2014
India Buildings Edinburgh – City Centre Development Opportunity Savills, February
2012
Heritage sweep puts the city’s iconic sites ‘at risk’ The Scotsman, April
2013
Edinburgh sees increase in number of polluted streets BBC, April
2011
Central Library to be centrepiece of multi-million pound cultural redevelopment culture24.org.uk December
Central Library Development, Policy and Strategy Committee City of Edinburgh Council, December
2005
Great Britain’s first same-sex civil partnership ceremony takes place at India Buildings The Guardian, December
1970
1-6 India Buildings, Victoria Street designated Category A Historic Environment Scotland, December
Central Library designated Category B Historic Environment Scotland, December
14-20 Cowgate (former Cowgatehead Free Church) designated Category B Historic Environment Scotland, December
28-36 Cowgate designated Category B Historic Environment Scotland, December
11-15 Victoria Street designated Category C Historic Environment Scotland, December