No, no and once again no!
The former Royal High School, an A-listed building at the foot of Calton Hill, has been empty for over half a century, and will remain so for a little while longer.
Scottish Ministers rejected the appeal by Duddingston
House Properties and Urbanist Hotels who wanted to develop the Thomas Hamilton designed building into a luxury hotel. Rosewood, the luxury hotel brand, was standing ready to take the building over once redeveloped.
The developers presented two different applications between 2015 and 2017, making changes that they though would allow the proposal to proceed, but it was not to be.
The glass extensions to the sides appeared to be one step too far for The City of Edinburgh Council's planning department and also for Scottish Ministers to allow on appeal. They are described as 'overbearing and out of context'. The main reasons for refusal are the adverse impact on the building, the conservation area, the World Heritage Site and the townscape.
The Cockburn Association, the city’s civic trust, rejoiced on Twitter at the news of the decision.
At present it is the hotel developers who hold a lease from the owners, The City of Edinburgh Council, until 2022. The planning department already approved an application by St Mary's Music School – but they have no legal right to the building, although plenty of investment to carry out the plans.
Their main backer is the Dunard Fund, which has deep pockets and was also behind the proposed new concert hall.
The Cockburn believes that the hotel developers must now step back from their legal agreement with the council and allow the music school to move forward with their plans already given approval in 2016.
William Gray Muir, Chairman of the Royal High School Preservation Trust, said: “Scottish Ministers should be congratulated on this considered and sensible decision.
"Their recognition of the importance of the building reinforces our belief that it is the perfect place for Scotland’s national music school.
"Doing so will bring together two of Scotland’s national treasures. We hope that the City Council will now be in a position discuss how we can jointly make this happen. With their agreement we would be able to start work immediately, with the necessary planning consents and funding already in place.”