Plans have been submitted to Edinburgh City Council to turn a Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited office block on St Andrews Square into a hotel for city centre tourists.
The proposed change of use will look to transform the building used for Royal London staff into a hotel with 115 bedrooms.
The property is situated at 1 Thistle Street/2 Queen Street on the north west corner of St Andrews Square.
The plans state that the property will have 115 bedrooms along with ancillary facilities like a gym, meeting rooms, concierge and dining areas on the ground floor.
The proposal states: “A proposal by Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited to change the use of an existing class 4 office property which extends over two interlinked buildings at 1 Thistle Street and 2 Queen Street. The proposal is to change the use of the existing offices to a class 7 hotel with ancillary facilities. The proposed internal arrangement plans indicate a hotel extending to 115 bedrooms with ancillary facilities such as a gym, meeting rooms and concierge/dining areas on the ground floor"
One Facebook user commented on a Cockburn Association post relating to the property saying: “Why can't there be nice flats for actual people to live in. Oh wait I know, more money for the developer, and who wants to live next to a busy road?”
Another said: “The City urgently needs a moratorium for hotels, student accommodation and suburban shopping centres.”
And another saying: “Better to be a nice hotel than a bloody student block!”
