New concert hall back on track after legal action dropped

Developers will have to submit fresh plans after talks with owners of nearby new shopping centre.

Plans to build the first concert hall in Edinburgh for more than 100 years are back on track after the developers of a nearby shopping centre dropped legal action.

But the concert hall backers have been forced to submit fresh plans that “better accord with the aspirations” of the under-construction St James Centre.

The St James Centre had launched legal action against Edinburgh City Council’s decision to approve planning permission for the £45m concert hall at St Andrew Square, putting the plans on hold as options for alternative sites were explored.

Mediation has now resulted in the legal action being dropped, but a fresh planning application will be submitted.

Sir Ewan Brown, chairman developer of Impact Scotland, said: “We are hugely encouraged by the positive discussions we have had with Edinburgh St James and the City of Edinburgh Council and look forward to continuing to work with them to deliver a world-class concert hall.”

The new concert hall is due to become the new home of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, while the St James Centre is set to open in October.

Martin Perry, director of Nuveen Real Estate, the company behind the St James Centre, said: “We hope the new design will better accord with the aspirations for this quarter of the city.”

Story by local democracy reporter David Bol

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