Revised plans for new National Centre for Music
A revised full planning application and a listed building consent application have been lodged for the former Royal High School building, to form new premises for the National Centre for Music.
The plans include music rehearsal and performance spaces, licensed café/ restaurant and bar facilities, offices, internal and external alterations and landscaping, at 5-7 Regent Road, Edinburgh.
The main change to the original approved plans for the category A-listed site are that there will no longer be any new buildings constructed there, with the existing buildings being used to house the new music centre. The proposals to rejuvenate the iconic building, once put forward as a possible home for the new Scottish Parliament, have been talked about for years, and although full planning permission had already been granted, the plans seemed to stall. With previous plans to move St Mary’s Music School to the site and hotel proposals abandoned.
However, now the full revised planning application has been submitted, it seems
The new plans focus on the preservation of the Category A listed building
like the National Centre for Music plans might soon hit the right note for the landmark city centre site.
The Royal High School Preservation Trust (RHSPT) has submitted the plans for the Thomas Hamilton designed former Royal High School building. The application site extends to include the school grounds.
Grant MacKenzie, executive director at the Royal High School Preservation Trust said: “The new plans focus on the preservation of the Category A listed building and there are now no new build elements involved. The aim is to create even greater access to the public, providing live music and education spaces, as well as a new public space to secure this architectural masterpiece.