Waverley wails

Princes Street in Edinburgh is the only major street in the UK protected by an order of Parliament which prohibits the development of buildings on its south side, with such notable exceptions as St John’s Church, the Scott Monument,

the Galleries, and the Balmoral Hotel.

Despite this, the Moorgarth Group would like to add a floor of retail space above the Waverley Market. Ironically, as real estate asset managers for Luxembourg-based Moorgate Holdings, the group

boasts on its website that “we have a responsibility to ensure the improvements we make to buildings have minimal impact on the environment”. Oh yeah?

Many years ago I was in the office of the late Nicholas Fort, a respected city planner of the old school who actually knew what planning was. We looked across at the then new development which is the present Waverley Market shopping centre.

The developers at that time had been restricted to below street level, but had been permitted to raise a couple of pointed granite features featuring signage to catch the attention of the passers-by.

“And these,” said Mr Fort, gesturing towards them “are the dorsal fins of the property sharks.” It would be sobering to have his views on some of today’s more lurid Edinburgh developments, actual and proposed.

DAVID J BLACK Montpelier Park, Edinburgh

Regarding possible plans for developing Waverley Mall, how sad that Edinburgh may miss a unique opportunity to have a modern, well-designed bus station adjacent to Waverley station.

This would replace the poky and inaccessible present bus station and, unlike the much larger bus station in Glasgow, would have the advantage of being adjacent to the city’s main rail station.

The roof could have the same height and design as the recently re-glazed station roof and this would give a unified appearance and not interfere with views to the east.

ROBERT STEWART Westknowe Gardens, Rutherglen