CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

"Edinburgh to get £45 million New Town concert venue" cycling opportunity??

(14 posts)

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The new SCO project is earmarked for RBS-owned land surrounded by the new St James and Registers development in the east end of the city centre.

    The Dunard Fund has purchased an empty bank office building between the Harvey Nichols department store and the RBS headquarters, which it has owned since 1825.

    RBS Scotland chairman Malcolm Buchanan said: “We’ve been a part of the fabric of Scottish life for nearly 300 years and this latest venture is a fantastic opportunity for us to play a major role in supporting the arts and education in Scotland.

    “While we will be retaining our historic branch at 36 St Andrew Square we will be assisting in the build by making available the land around the building and 35 St Andrew Square to help make this project a reality.”

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/entertainment/edinburgh-to-get-45-million-new-town-concert-venue-1-4291170

    Presume they will want pedestrian access through the RBS car park to 'St. James Quarter'?

    Cycle too??

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    Well it's nice to be optimistic

    This is the building, No. 35 St Andrew Square. I presume it's a conversion of this (listed?) building rather than a demolish and new build.

    https://goo.gl/maps/8wJuuNNaGAS2

    If you look on the satellite image, the land around the RBS branch is currently used as a car park...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. PS
    Member

    I'd hope it would be accessible through all the new development sites around there (St James Centre and W Register St). RBS seems happy with opening things up around there judging by the pedestrian route through there while W Register St is shut?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. PS
    Member

    This is the building, No. 35 St Andrew Square. I presume it's a conversion of this (listed?) building rather than a demolish and new build.

    I don't think so, @CR. Although there is a lack of clarity in the report:
    "The new concert venue will be built on a gap site behind the historic RBS head office on St Andrew Square."

    "The 10000-capacity venue, earmarked for a gap site behind the Royal Bank of Scotland’s historic head office, would be available for the Edinburgh International Festival each summer."

    I'm not sure what that has to do with "The Dunard Fund has purchased an empty bank office building between the Harvey Nichols department store and the RBS headquarters, which it has owned since 1825."

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    Now been downgraded to 1000-capacity by the Chipwrapper.

    Still struggling to visualise this site on "RBS-owned land surrounded by the new St James and Registers development in the east end of the city centre"

    Perhaps they could culminate Essential Edinburgh's mismanagement of St Andrews Sq by building it there.
    They could call it the Über-Spiegeltent. Ready-made sponsorship opportunity there...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. crowriver
    Member

    @PS, then why did this quote appear:

    RBS Scotland chairman Malcolm Buchanan said: “We’ve been a part of the fabric of Scottish life for nearly 300 years and this latest venture is a fantastic opportunity for us to play a major role in supporting the arts and education in Scotland.

    “While we will be retaining our historic branch at 36 St Andrew Square we will be assisting in the build by making available the land around the building and 35 St Andrew Square to help make this project a reality.”

    That's a bit vague, but it could be interpreted that the Dunard Fund is purchasing No.35, and RBS are throwing in the land around it. Unless there's another building between the RBS HQ and Harvey Nicks that is invisible from space?

    On the other hand, as you quote: "The new concert venue will be built on a gap site behind the historic RBS head office on St Andrew Square."

    So is it behind the RBS HQ, between the RBS HQ and Harvey Nicks, or on "RBS-owned land surrounded by the new St James and Registers development in the east end of the city centre"

    Perhaps the venue's footprint will in fact be the current car park? Plus there is a modern extension of the RBS HQ at the back: is that "the building" they are referring to? Access via Register Street.

    Turn right down here: https://goo.gl/maps/JStybKWG1sq

    Visible (and perhaps accessible on foot) from here: https://goo.gl/maps/1utXXZFXEWC2

    Visible behind a low brick wall here:
    https://goo.gl/maps/n9LRggSJfcr

    It's visible on the far left of this artist's impression of the new St James development:

    http://www.edinburghstjames.com/thevision.html

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. PS
    Member

    @PS, then why did this quote appear:

    I don't know, I didn't write it. :-p

    I originally interpreted it as being that extension at the back, but it's all not very clear.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. chdot
    Admin

    "Visible behind a low brick wall here:
    https://goo.gl/maps/n9LRggSJfcr "

    That's exactly where there 'ought' be a ped/cycle route, irrespective of the details of this development - but this might make it easier(?)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. crowriver
    Member

    @chdot, I expect the new venue will need a 'service entrance' for loading instruments, gear, lighting, etc. So I anticipate this might be at the back of the venue. Only part accessible via road? Maybe accessible by foot and bike too.

    Depends what they build: one building or a 'complex' which stretches around the RBS HQ?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    "Depends what they build"

    Yep.

    And they'll need planning permission.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. kaputnik
    Moderator

    35 St Andrew Square is listed, as is 36. There's another multi-storey building between the two known as "the Annexe" which was built in the 1960s to house the computer.
    The annexe is vacant and I think it is this that will be demolished and the land used as part of this venue.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. PS
    Member

    "the Annexe"

    Presume that is the "interesting" "Visible behind a low brick wall" building on Crowriver's link?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. mgj
    Member

    From the chat at work, the plan is for the building on the left to be SCO offices, and possibly for other cultural bodies, and RBS will retain the nice building as a banking hall and posh entrance to the new hall, which will be on the site of the ugly office block that's coming down to be replaced. No discussion of cycle lanes in the design as yet, but the SCO liaison officer in the SG cycles every day...(including the nursery run)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. crowriver
    Member

    "the plan is for the building on the left to be SCO offices"

    No.35 St Andrew Square then? Very nice I'm sure!

    Posted 8 years ago #

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