The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland has written to the Chief Planning Officer of The City of Edinburgh Council, David Givan, after the fire on Princes Street earlier today, calling for a Conservation Accreditation Register of Engineers (CARE) engineer to be appointed to oversee what happens to the building.
The letter reads as follows:
“Dear Mr Givan
109 – 111 Princes Street, Edinburgh
We are all disappointed that this major fire has occurred on Princes Street in an area with a high concentration of important listed buildings.
Originally the Palace Hotel, designed by John Lessels in 1869, converted to the Liberal Club in 1890, the upper floors were latterly part of Debenhams. The list description for the building states that the ‘saloon at No 110 was the showroom of the cabinet makers John Taylor & Son; it is the oldest of the three cast-iron galleried types with fireproof cladding to survive in Scotland.’
The AHSS has been concerned about the demolition of dangerous buildings without the advice of a CARE engineer and given the prominence of this landmark location and the level of national interest in its fate, options for retention of the front elevation, the stone dormers and the gables should be assessed.
The minimum input should to be to allow a CARE Engineer to visit the site and offer an initial opinion, ideally in the next day or so. This should not need to be a long or costly exercise. We believe that an experienced conservation structural engineer should be able to make a reasonably quick assessment of the stability of the façade and identify the risks to the street and area in front of the building, allowing the Council to decide more swiftly on whether road closures and tram stoppages need to be maintained. We appreciate that getting Princes Street opened and trams and buses running will be a key driver for the City but urge you to demonstrate a commitment to saving as much as possible of the listed building.
Whilst we appreciate that the situation will still be unclear, can we encourage the Council to do what it can to save the remaining street façade, gables and saloon, including seeking specialist engineering advice.
Yours sincerely
Jocelyn M Cunliffe
- Jocelyn Cunliffe RIBA FRIAS FRSA
- Chair of Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
The owners of the building Criterion Capital have issued a statement today. A spokesperson for the company said: “In respect of the fire at the former Debenhams building on Princes Street, Edinburgh, in the early hours of this morning, our immediate priority is the safety of everyone involved.
“There have been no reported injuries, and we are very grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and professionalism. This building is an important and historic part of Edinburgh’s city centre, and we continue to liaise with the emergency services and relevant authorities.”
