Spurtle asked the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland what they thought of the latest plans for the old Royal High School.
They describe it as 'architecture of a very high calibre', BUT ...
Below we reproduce their reply in full, which follows a meeting of the Forth & Borders Cases Panel on 2 September.
It is the most damning response we have seen so far, and articulately expresses what seems to be the 'Heritage Lobby's' concerted and profound misgivings about the plan (see also our story earlier today).
In short, whilst admiring aspects of the application's professional ingenuity in attempting to accommodate an 'unrealistic and unrealisable brief', AHSS consider the result to be so utterly and completely misguided that it should not be taken seriously.
This is very strong stuff indeed. The battle-lines have been drawn.
AHSS's response
The FBCP discussed the images showing the latest proposals for the former Royal High School building yesterday evening. Unfortunately we were not in a position to study the proposals in depth because the planning applications were not yet accessible – these images were released to the media without the general public or groups like ourselves being able to respond fully, fairly or in detail.
It is also particularly difficult to comment fully on the proposals as they are not real-life views, but appear to be based on photographs taken from drones hovering mid-air, or from telephoto lens views from Salisbury Craigs.
None of the images shows the proposals from key views or from street level. They are fairy-tale images.
Nevertheless, one conclusion can be immediately drawn: the repeated and clear advice from Historic Scotland, Edinburgh World Heritage, the City of Edinburgh Council's Planning Department and groups like ourselves and the Cockburn Association has all been ignored.
It has been repeatedly stated that building on the west side of Thomas Hamilton's building is unlikely to be acceptable. It would appear that instead of reducing accommodation on this side from the initial proposals, it has, in fact, increased, rising to six storeys and cantilevering over Regent Road.
Is this an attempt to damage the context of St Andrew's House as well? Despite the fact that Tait's building is unlikely to be intimidated, the attempt is not welcome and is wholly unacceptable.
It is nevertheless apparent that Hamilton's masterclass in architectural composition – the oblique approach from the west, with changing and developing views of the various masses at different levels that make up the site would likely be permanently destroyed.
Whilst the Panel appreciates that the worst excesses proposed for Hamilton's building – most notably the central stair on the front elevation – have been omitted, this building is about more than the mere fabric at the centre of the site.
The setting and relationship with Calton Hill and the views from other parts of the city are key. Our earlier fears that Hamilton's building would be forced to cower between two dominant wings has only worsened. Indeed, when viewed from the south-east, the remarkable landscape context for Hamilton's building, and its framing by Calton Hill, would be destroyed by the west block.
That inspiration has been drawn from Salisbury Craigs – when this is Calton Hill – and from the Inca Empire suggests an inability to draw inspiration from this remarkable site. Our only conclusion can be that this application is not to be taken seriously.
It demonstrates the undeniable ability of one of Scotland's best architecture practices to produce a remarkable scheme that attempts to reconcile an entirely unrealistic and unrealisable brief for this site.
It is architecture of a very high calibre, but it is entirely wrong for this site.
The images will look great on a website, but we trust that is exactly where they will stay: we expect consent to be refused, and we are delighted there is an appropriate, funded, and entirely realisable scheme waiting to be submitted if this proposal is not taken forward.
Got a view? Tell us at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk and @theSpurtle and Facebook
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Taco van Heusden retweeted Broughton Spurtle
1,500 pages of considered and highly detailed analysis and AHSS read it inside 6 hours. Quite the speed readers...
@HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle misplaced your spectacles?
Taco van Heusden @HeusdenTaco @papawasarodeo @theSpurtle hours, days, weeks, months of dialogue with everyone interested. Where were you? 
papa was a rodeo @papawasarodeo @HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle me personally? I've bowed out. But your dialogue with @EdinburghWH doesn't seem to have gone well either.
Taco van Heusden @HeusdenTaco @papawasarodeo @theSpurtle @EdinburghWH many organisations joined the dialogue since March. Some chose absenteeism. papa was a rodeo @papawasarodeo @HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle you contacted @theAHSS and invited dialogue after the public exhibitions?
@HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle and was the @NTBCC included in those hours, days, weeks, months of dialogue?
@papawasarodeo @theSpurtle @theAHSS curious comment. Consultation period is meant for dialogue. Interested parties stayed long thereafter.
@papawasarodeo @theSpurtle @NTBCC they refused to meet. Point blank.
@HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle just the @NTBCC or @theAHSS too?
@HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle my old friends @theAHSS say you never ever got back to them after they submitted their views. Are they mistaken?
@HeusdenTaco @theSpurtle @theAHSS sweet dreams Taco, hopefully on Rivolta Carmignani Italian Linens.
Corneilius Pierce I love a good moan, and believe me, I'm moaning about the golden turd at the St james site... But people need to get a grip, this is a fine proposal for a pretty dead site that needs a bit of life... These buildings are perfect, and look like future classics.
People fighting change is to be expected, but put your energies elsewhere. The St james proposal is criminal to Edinburgh, this, from that render, looks to me like a future asset, choose your fights better people.
Graeme Purves This is a deeply egotistical and discourteous design which would have a very damaging impact on the settings of key heritage buildings, important views, and the city's townscape more generally. The AHSS is right. The developers and architect are cocking a snook at Edinburgh. They cannot expect this ostentatious piece of thuggery to be taken seriously.
Gary McLean-Quin I'm with Corneilius on this proposal. By any international standard, this is good. Lately Edinburgh has been deluged by The Average. This is not. With respect, Graeme I disagree on each of your complaints here. This is thoughtful design, bold enough and respectful of setting and the Old Royal High School. Rosewood are top flight, and this is fully funded to £75m. The school is decaying and has been vacant since I was a small boy and I'm 56 now!!
Love the Calton Hill development plans http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/new-new-plans-old-royal-high … via @theSpurtle #Edinburgh @Oniropolis @BrutalHouse
@_d_O_S_s_ @theSpurtle @BrutalHouse good to see the surroundings being taken into such consideration.
@_d_O_S_s_ @theSpurtle @Oniropolis @BrutalHouse is that round roof a helipad?
@KenWilson84 @_d_O_S_s_ @theSpurtle @BrutalHouse it is; that's where President Trump will land in the dystopian future.
@theSpurtle heated debate and dialogue good! Shame developer just likes to make snide comments. More than a hint of bitterness...
@theSpurtle @andywightman How could building be legally cantilevered over the pavement? Do they own that?
@fidhlear @theSpurtle They would have to acquire the airspace to do so.
@fidhlear @theSpurtle it would be illegal. Your neighbour owns the airspace above their land.
@andywightman @theSpurtle A caelo usque ad centrum.
@fidhlear @theSpurtle indeed :-)
@Oniropolis @theSpurtle @BrutalHouse Seems the perennial Hoohah Society are objecting to it. Quelle surprise.
@Oniropolis @KenWilson84 @theSpurtle @BrutalHouse And Vice President Bieber will park his Hoverboard there.
@Oniropolis @_d_O_S_s_ @theSpurtle @BrutalHouse well, we were promised jetpacks
@ArchHist @theSpurtle Is it time for a charette? Or 'indaba' more redolent as it is of yadda-yadda-yadda and the Flintstones' yabbadabbadoo?
@KenWilson84 @theSpurtle discussions are underway for an event of some sort in v near future...
Marquis Melrose @MasterMelrose
@theSpurtle And the alternative vision
