A quite astonishingly poor planning application by Royal Bank of Scotland has been rejected (Ref. 17/02203/LBC).
Having recently closed its branch at 2–3A Blenheim Place, RBS wanted to remove its signage and former tills there but retain one of two cashpoint machines outside.
Its proposed method for achieving the latter was to replace one of the window-mounted ATMs with a new, larger, reinforced steel door. This was intended to provide secure access to a new secure room housing the machine’s back end. It would also free-up the rest of the former bank (still accessible via the original front entrance) for other purposes.
A damn great, pug-ugly, steel security door. On the principal elevation of a Category A-listed, Playfair-designed building. In a Conservation Area and World Heritage Site. What were they thinking?
Neither Historic Environment Scotland nor the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland were persuaded by such a cut-and-shut approach. City of Edinburgh Council rejected the plan, concluding:
1. The proposals are contrary to non-statutory guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas as the proposals will diminish the integrity and character of this important category A listed building.
2. The proposal is contrary to the Local Development Plan Policy Env 4 in respect of Listed Buildings - Alterations and Extensions, as the door alteration and the internal partitioning will adversely impact on the set piece design of the building
We applaud this no-nonsense response to what was a self-evidently appalling and insensitive proposal. We very much hope the Development Management Committee applies similar rigor and good sense in considering RBS’s planning permission in principle application for the Dundas Street site next month.