An abandoned car rental space in the city centre is set to be transformed into a swanky new hotel under new plans.
The vacant Hertz building at 10 Picardy Place could be demolished, to make way for a 51-bed hotel with ‘associated facilities’. Within the plans, developers have said the brief calls for a centrally located hotel ‘adjacent to tram and public transport systems’.
The new hotel will centre around an open courtyard, with the entrance from Picardy Place made by stone steps. Applicants have said their main priority would be reviving the ‘historic Georgian frontage’ which can be seen on other buildings on the street.
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Hackland and Dore Architects, who submitted the plans, said in their application: “The proposed development is located within 10 Picardy Place which was previously used as a car rental facility within Edinburgh’s city centre.
“The building forms part of a row of terraced properties extending along Picardy Place. The site is within Edinburgh’s New Town Conservation Area and Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns World Heritage Site.
“It is within Edinburgh’s ‘theatre district’, approximately 0.6 km from Princes Street; and therefore, has excellent access to a variety of local and national transport facilities within a short walking distance (e.g. Waverley Station).
“Most significantly, a new ‘gateway’ transport interchange is also under construction opposite the site on Picardy Place which will improve connectivity for pedestrians and provide direct access to bus, tram and cycle facilities that connect across the city and to other transport hubs.”
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Speaking on bringing back the Georgian style, in keeping with the rest of the street, they added: “The original intention was to retain the remaining listed fabric and reinstate the lost ground and lower ground historic Georgian frontage to replicate number 14 centred around number 12.
“The team's aim was to seek the full restoration of the font façade at ground level, continuation of the rounded arched window recesses on No.12 and installation of timber-framed sash windows to reflect the regular fenestration.”
The plans have not yet been approved, and further details on the hotel have not been provided as of yet.
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