Quality of capital`s new buildings slammed Scotsman 21 jan 09
This article appeared in Wednesday`s Scotsman 21st January page 16 by Brian Ferguson and has the title -
Quality of capital`s new buildings slammed and was a Scotsman Exclusive, it strangely has not appeared online, although this short version appeared in their sister paper The Evening News later that day.
"Scotland`s capital is being saddled with sub-standard develpments and poorly-designed new landmarks, a leading architectural body has claimed.
The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS)warned that inferior schemes were being appoved by Edinburgh council in the rush to secure economic investment.
The society said a vacuum in the planning system means no-one was able to exert influence to ensure high-quality designs.
The AHSS accused the city`s design leader Sir Terry Farrell of remaining "mute" while controversy has raged over major developments such as Haymarket and Caltongate, which triggered a Unesco investigation into the city`s world heritage status.
It also questioned the influence and role of Architecture Design Scotland(A&DS), the government-funded "national champion for good architecture, design and planning"
Concerns have been mounting among heritage groups in the capital over the quality of recent designs for major developments, including the scheme earmarked for the Cowgate fire site, a new hotel development on Princes Street, the 17-storey Haymarket complex and Caltongate, which will see more than 200 new homes, a five-star hotel, and conference centre built on The Royal Mile.
Concerns have been mounting among heritage groups in the capital over the quality of recent designs for major developments, including the scheme earmarked for the Cowgate fire site, a new hotel development on Princes Street, the 17-storey Haymarket complex and Caltongate, which will see more than 200 new homes, a five-star hotel, and conference centre built on The Royal Mile.
Euan Leitch, spokesman for the AHSS`s Forth and Borders cases panel said: "There is a perception in Edinburgh that the need for economic developent over-rides the desire for good design and that the planning department must accept proposals already agreed by the economic development team.
Better design need not have been more expensive. Too often we accept inferior architecture hidden behind a thin veneer of sandstone"
Jim Lowrie, convener of planning at the city council, acknowledged improvements were needed in the way major developments were handled , but insisted action was already taking place.
Sebastion Tombs, chief exectutive of A&DS, said "We get involved with major developments at an early stage, but we always agree that our comments during those discussions remain private. Having design competitions could improve things, but they would need developers to agree to co-operate