Listed New Town office at 9 St Colme Street could become a hotel

A listed New Town building on St Colme Street could be converted from offices into a hotel under a new application being considered by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The proposal concerns 9 St Colme Street, a city-centre property in one of Edinburgh’s most sensitive historic settings. The application seeks listed building consent for a change of use from Class 4 office to Class 7 hotel, alongside internal alterations.

If progressed, the change would mark another shift in the use of Georgian New Town buildings, where former houses and office premises often sit close to hotels, short-stay accommodation, professional firms, embassies, restaurants and cultural venues.

What is proposed

The application is for a change of use from office to hotel, with internal works to support that new use.

The proposal includes reworking the inside of the building for hotel accommodation, including guest rooms, reception areas and en-suite facilities. Replacement windows and doors are also referenced in the application material.

Because the building is listed, the focus is not only on the use of the property but also on how any physical changes would affect its historic fabric and character. Listed building consent is required for works that could affect the special architectural or historic interest of a listed building, including many internal changes.

The application is recorded as awaiting assessment.

The site: 9 St Colme Street

St Colme Street sits in Edinburgh’s New Town, close to the western side of the city centre. The street forms part of the wider Georgian townscape that gives the area much of its architectural identity.

9 St Colme Street is a Category A listed building. Historic Environment Scotland records it as part of a classical palace block designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1822. The listing describes a near-symmetrical composition with a central pavilion, flanking houses and terminal pavilions, built in polished ashlar sandstone.

That heritage status matters. Category A is the highest listing category in Scotland, used for buildings of special architectural or historic interest that are outstanding examples of a particular period, style or building type.

The property also lies within the New Town Conservation Area and within the wider setting of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. In practical terms, that means alterations are likely to be judged not only on their effect on the individual building, but also on their relationship with the wider historic streetscape.

Why it matters

A proposed hotel conversion at 9 St Colme Street is notable because it combines several live issues in central Edinburgh planning: the reuse of older office space, the pressure for visitor accommodation, and the protection of listed Georgian buildings.

For neighbours and nearby businesses, the key point is the proposed change in day-to-day use. An office building is typically active during working hours, while a hotel can bring arrivals, departures, servicing and visitor movement across a broader part of the day. The application material currently identifies the principle of hotel use and internal changes rather than setting out wider operational detail in the public summary.

For heritage interests, the main question is how the proposed internal reconfiguration would sit with the listed building’s plan form, materials and historic features. Even when exterior changes are limited, hotel conversions can require new bathrooms, services, fire-safety measures, partitions, reception space and circulation changes.

For the city centre, the application is part of a broader pattern of adaptation in the New Town. Many Georgian buildings have moved through different uses over two centuries, from residential to professional, institutional, hospitality or mixed commercial use. Each new proposal has to balance active reuse with the conservation of architectural character.

Planning context

The application is for listed building consent, not simply a standard change-of-use planning application. Listed building consent deals with whether proposed works are acceptable in heritage terms.

The recorded description is: “Change of use from Class 4 Office to Class 7 Hotel and internal alterations.”

Class 4 generally covers business and office use. Class 7 covers hotels and hostels, where no significant element of care is provided. The proposed move from office to hotel is therefore a material change in how the building would function.

In a listed New Town property, the council’s assessment is likely to look closely at the extent of internal alterations and any impact on significant fabric. The public summary does not identify a hotel operator, opening date, number of rooms or final layout in plain terms.

What happens next

The application is currently awaiting assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council. Residents, businesses and other interested parties can follow the case through the council’s planning portal, where documents, drawings and any decision notice are normally published as the application progresses.

The planning reference is 26/01516/LBC.

To find it, search the City of Edinburgh Council planning portal for “26/01516/LBC” or for “9 St Colme Street”.