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Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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Plans for hostel in Edinburgh dropped

May 23 2009
Plans for a 22-bed hostel withdrawn as local residents worry about house prices falling Plans to open a homeless hostel opposite Edinburgh‚Äö?Ñ?¥s George Watson‚Äö?Ñ?¥s College have been withdrawn after protests from local residents, who objected to the proposal to turn the Redholme House Hotel site into a 22-bed hostel. The application for change of use to operate the hotel as a house in multiple occupancy was lodged with the city council in September by Waugh Taverns Ltd, owned by Edinburgh businessman Kenny Waugh. Residents felt the location, next to a nursery, junior and senior school, was inappropriate and would be likely to lead to a drop in house prices. A spokeswoman for the city council confirmed today that the planning application had been withdrawn, while the hotel owner said the building was likely to be converted into flats. Bridget Stevens, chair of Merchiston Community Council, said the community had expressed a number of concerns and was relieved the plans had been dropped, but that locals would remain on guard in case a similar proposal was resubmitted to the city council. The hostel would have been run by David Wright and his partner Wendy Halstead. The owner said the hostel plans were just the latest in a long line of proposals by people interested in taking over the hotel and that it was now likely that the building would be turned into flats.
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