Report Report

GVA Quayside House 127 Fountainbridge Edinburgh EH3 9QG

Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

Representations on behalf of RBS Group plc
January 2012

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RBS Group plc

Contents

CONTENTS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT ......................................................................................3 RBS IN EDINBURGH ..........................................................................................................4 ECONOMIC GROWTH .....................................................................................................5 GOGARBURN...................................................................................................................6 FETTES ROW AND EYRE TERRACE/PLACE ......................................................................11 36 ST ANDREW SQUARE.................................................................................................13

APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Representation by RBS to SESplan Proposed Plan 2011 Gogar Gateway Concept diagram RBS property and landholdings at Eyre Place/Eyre Terrace and Fettes Row RBS property and landholdings at 36 St Andrew Square

P:\OFFICE\PLANNING\CURRENT JOBS\RBS General All Sites\LDP MIR for submission\120126 RBS LDP MIR Reps.doc

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

1.
1.1

Introduction and context

These representations are submitted on behalf of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and relate to the strategic property and land-holdings owned by RBS Group plc in Edinburgh.

1.2

On behalf of RBS, we welcome this opportunity to submit comments on Edinburghs Local Development Plan Main Issues Report. The submission of these representations on the LDP follows an earlier submission by RBS to the SeSPlan in December 2011. A copy of this SESPlan representation is provided in appendix 1.

1.3

RBSs main interest in the LDP relates to the Councils economic growth objectives and specifically to proposals which relate to RBSs property and landholdings at Gogarburn, Fettes Row and Eyre Terrace/Place, and 36 St Andrew Square.

1.4

Accordingly, this report is structured as follows: Section 2: RBS in Edinburgh provides an overview of RBS and its role in Edinburgh; Section 3: Economic Growth sets out RBSs response to the LDPs economic growth objectives and provides associated comments; Section 4: Gogarburn considers future development within the West Edinburgh Strategic Development area and promotes land at Gogarburn for future development; Section 5: Fettes Row and Eyre Terrace/Place outlines and seeks recognition of the redevelopment opportunities at RBSs property and landholdings at the north of the New Town; Section 6: 36 St Andrew Square outlines and seeks recognition of the redevelopment opportunities at RBSs property and landholdings at St Andrew Square; and Section 7: Conclusions.

1.5

We respectfully request that these representations are taken into account by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) in the preparation of its LDP Proposed Plan. RBS would also welcome further dialogue regarding the issues raised with both the Strategic and Local Planning Authority Officials, as efforts progress through 2012 on the parallel exercise of the new SDP and LDP.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

2.
2.1

RBS in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the UKs second financial centre after London and ranked as Europes fourth by equity assets. In world terms, it ranks ahead of many European competitors in the latest Global Financial Centres Index. RBS has, and continues to make a significant contribution toward maintaining these headline achievements.

2.2

It remains the largest financial services sector company headquarted in the city (source: CEC, Edinburgh by Numbers 2011/12), employing some 8,200 people. This also puts RBS as the fifth highest ranked employer in the city and the second highest of all private sector companies.

2.3

As a significant employer within the city, RBS is also helping to maintain Edinburghs reputation for retaining a broad talent pool within the financial services sector. This pool is typically multi-skilled, exceptionally well qualified and with a high proportion of graduates, all of which further contribute toward maintaining its position as the largest industry sector, as measured by Gross Value Added (source: Edinburgh by Numbers 2011/12).

2.4

Together with other related companies in the city, RBS also helps promote the diverse financial services sector offer, which collectively is credited with attracting significant inward investment, including from a large number of foreign owned companies having operations in Edinburgh.

2.5

Against this context, RBS welcomes the opportunity to participate in the preparation of the LDP and acknowledges its importance of helping guide the growth of the city, future development proposals and investment decisions in particular.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

3.
3.1

Economic Growth
Aim 1 of the LDP is to support the growth of the city economy, as set out at page 4 of the MIR document. As a major employer within the city and building on the context set out within section 2 above, RBS supports this aim. RBS plays an important role in this regard and makes a considerable contribution to the both the established employment land and proposed supply.

3.2

Paragraph 5.2 of the MIR recognises that to grow the economy in the most sustainable manner, the LDP needs to address a range of inter-related issues including (inter alia) business, and industrial land supply, housing provision, and good transport. RBS agrees with this approach, and considers there is an ideal opportunity to address such interrelated issues through future mixed use development on land at and within its ownership at Gogarburn, in particular. This is examined further in the subsequent section.

3.3

In terms of the LDP preferred option to planning for and providing office space in Edinburgh, a preferred option should continue to identify Gogarburn as a strategic office location, where other complimentary uses would be supported.

3.4

These interrelated issues are considered further in respect of RBSs landholding at Gogarburn in the subsequent section.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

4.

Gogarburn
Introduction and background

4.1

RBS has its main headquarters located at Gogarburn to the south of the A8, in west Edinburgh. Associated with this office complex are further areas of land within RBSs ownership at Gogar Park House (currently used as a conference facility), to the West at Gogar Mount Estate and also areas of farmland to the south. These additional areas extend to approximately 10 hectares, 12 hectares and 40 hectares respectively.

4.2

The main existing Gogarburn office complex extends to approximately 15-18 hectares and accommodates approximately 3,600 employees. RBS also has extant planning permission for a phase 2 development of circa 14,000 sqm of offices on land to the south of the existing office complex. The extent of RBSs landholding at Gogarburn is shown on the Gogar Gateway Concept diagram at appendix 2 and referred to in greater detail below.

4.3

Within the Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan Alteration (June 2011), the existing Gogarburn offices and consented office land are identified as a single-user Class 4 site for economic development (ECON9). For clarification, it should be noted that this single user condition (as attached to the grant of planning permissions) will fall away after 2014. At the outset, RBS anticipates that the Edinburgh LDP will continue to recognise RBSs existing office development and additional land with planning consent for continued economic development purposes.

4.4

Indeed, the Edinburgh-Inspiring Capital website (and associated material) promotes investment within West Edinburgh, as a gateway to the city, both locally and globally. It continues to acknowledge existing major developments, including the RBS headquarters at Gogarburn, as contributing toward the area becoming a global business hub. Building on this, it draws further reference to the West Edinburgh Planning Framework as guiding future development and investment to the area. Gogarburn and its potential to further contribute to the success of West Edinburgh, should be embraced within this context and we expand on this theme further below.

4.5

Currently within the Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan Alteration, RBSs properties and landholdings at Gogarburn are also defined as lying within the greenbelt. We address the matter of existing major uses in the green belt further on, but note and support the proposed removal of Gogarburn from the green belt as set out in the LDP MIR.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

SESPlan and LDP Housing Requirements at West Edinburgh

4.6 The LDP MIR identifies RBSs land at Gogarburn as lying within the West Edinburgh Strategic Development Area, one of four strategic development areas within the city region where the local development plan should direct further strategic development, including housing. 4.7 In representations to SESplan submitted in December 2012, it has been respectfully suggested by RBS that there is scope to re-assess the level of committed housing, versus proposed new housing in the SESplan, with a particular focus on the overall levels being allocated at West Edinburgh and the potential to increase these totals, particularly in the latter part of the Plan. 4.8 The West Edinburgh SDA should also be subject to further scrutiny for strategic housing land allocations, particularly within the context of likely changes to plans at Leith Docks which in our view, results in an LDP/SESPlan over-reliance on housing land at the Waterfront compared to that likely to be delivered. Accordingly, on behalf of our client, we believe there is a case to propose a refreshed look at the balance of proposed long term housing provision in the West Edinburgh SDA over and above the two tranches of 1,000 units, the first 1,000 units from 2009-2019 and the second 1,000 units from 2019-2024. 4.9 In terms of new housing, in our view the promotion of housing at West Edinburgh also presents a specific opportunity to deliver much needed family housing in Edinburgh. In this respect, it is considered that new housing within the West Edinburgh SDA compares more favourably to housing within the City Centre and Waterfront SDAs where this objective is likely to be harder to achieve. This should be recognised by the LDP to ensure that an appropriate mix of new housing types is delivered within Edinburgh and to help to re-address the high number of flatted units that have been developed in recent years e.g. at Leith/Waterfront. Indeed, we feel that the Gogar Mount Estate in particular offers a unique opportunity for low-density executive style housing, that could serve potential demand from new global businesses that might ultimately locate within the International Business Gateway.

The West Edinburgh SDA

4.10 The LDP MIR views the West Edinburgh SDA as an area of significant change and as a driver for economic development. RBS welcomes this vision for the area in principle, however it is considered that the development aspirations within West Edinburgh should be shaped around land both north and south of the A8, particularly in view of our observations noted at paragraph 4.4 above. At present the preferred options in the MIR for economic and housing development at West Edinburgh focus predominantly on proposals for land to the north of the A8 only. This includes the removal from the green belt of significant areas of land to the north of the A8 to deliver these strategic

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

objectives, including land at Edinburgh Airport, the Royal Highland Centre and land for the proposed International Business Gateway (IBG). As noted above, the LDP MIR already supports the removal of Gogarburn from the green belt. 4.11 We believe our clients landholding at Gogarburn should feature in a further dialogue on the potential of the West Edinburgh SDA. RBS believes there is scope to assess further its land to the south of the A8 for development and its prospects for further green belt release. 4.12 The principle of growth at SDAs through green belt releases has already been established at West Edinburgh and other SDAs and we believe therefore that it is appropriate timing and opportunity for the same approach to be taken to our clients land at and to the south of the Gogarburn facility. In view of our comments earlier on increasing the housing allocation for West Edinburgh, RBSs land to the south of the A8 offers the potential to be developed in addition to land at the proposed IBG and other preferred housing sites in the West Edinburgh SDA. noted as a key benefit of the preferred options to date. 4.13 In view of existing RBS development and the phase 2 permission, further development on RBSs land could include further business related uses, housing and/or other ancillary uses. This development would have an important interrelationship with the proposed IBG and could provide an important opportunity to provide complimentary development to the IBG and/or further business expansion. The presence of RBSs Gogarburn headquarters already establishes this interrelationship. 4.14 Promoting housing development at Gogarburn, adjacent to RBSs office complex and adjacent to the proposed International Business Gateway would deliver an integrated approach to housing, business and ancillary development and in doing so, deliver benefits in terms of quality of place and sustainable development objectives, both key priorities of the LDP. 4.15 In identifying sites for residential and other forms of development, the MIR focuses on three main criteria relating to whether the site has good accessibility to public transport infrastructure, the impact on the landscape setting of the city and whether clear and defensive green belt boundaries can be formed. These issues are considered in turn below in respect of RBSs landholding. Combined, they can promote sustainable mixed use developments and high quality place-making in the manner

Accessibility to public transport infrastructure

4.16 RBSs land at Gogarburn is uniquely situated to be served by existing public transport infrastructure and that which is also either planned or currently under construction, as noted in greater detail below.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

4.17

The Gogarburn HQ offices and Gogar Bank House already have good accessibility to existing public transport being served by an existing bus service. expected given these sites are currently undeveloped. While existing accessibility reduces for land to the south and land at Gogar Mount, this is to be Importantly, public transport accessibility to all of RBSs land could easily be improved as part of future development proposals. By way of an example, bus routes could be extended through the site and in future, provide a new public transport route to connect with the proposed Gogar Link Road, creating a route through development both to the south and north of the A8.

4.18

The West Edinburgh Area generally is a considerable focus for new public transport infrastructure including the tram, the Gogar Interchange and new rail link proposals. It is considered that such infrastructure will benefit all areas within the West Edinburgh SDA, with RBSs land at Gogarburn particularly well placed to take advantage of this new and proposed public transport provision.

4.19

The existing and proposed accessibility of the site is demonstrated within the Gogar Gateway concept diagram at appendix 2 of this submission and shows that RBSs land performs well in this respect.

Impact on the landscape setting of the city

4.20 In our view, RBSs landholding at Gogarburn could be sensitively developed without affecting the wider landscape setting of the city. Views to the site from the wider landscape are predominantly contained by intact woodland belts and development of the site would not impact upon views experienced by road users on the A8 and City bypass, both key approaches to the city, due to existing tree screening. Indeed, in views experienced from the A8, the site is arguably less prominent than areas of land within the IBG which are proposed for development. The southern boundary of the A8 at Gogar Mount, the golf course, Gogarburn and Gogarbank are particularly well screened by existing tree planting. 4.21 While the site is more visible from roads to the south, these roads do not constitute key approaches to the city and are more minor in nature. The terrain of the site also helps to conceal large parts of the site from such locations. Views to parts of the site from the train line are screened by existing tree belts, and further tree planting could also help in this regard.

Clear and defensible green belt boundaries

4.22 In respect of green belt boundaries, RBS fully supports the removal of its existing headquarters at Gogarburn from the greenbelt as part of proposals to remove existing settlements and major uses from the green belt to accord with national policy (as set out on p. 42 of the MIR).

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

4.23

In addition to the removal of its existing headquarters at Gogarburn from the greenbelt, RBS therefore respectfully suggests that the remainder of its landholding at Gogar could logically be removed from the green belt, as illustrated within the Gogar Gateway concept diagram at appendix 2. In our view, a clear and defensible green belt boundary, defined predominantly by areas of woodland, would still reside beyond this point and remain consistent with green belt objectives as set out within Scottish Planning Policy.

4.24

On the basis of the above three criteria, it is considered that RBSs land performs well in terms of other preferred sites in West Edinburgh and citywide.

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RBS Group plc

Title

5.
5.1

Fettes Row and Eyre Terrace/Place

RBSs property and landholdings at Fettes Row and Eyre Terrace/Place are detailed at appendix 3 together with a plan showing the current planning policy context of both sites in the adopted Edinburgh City Local Plan 2010. Both sites, with the exception of a small part of land adjacent to Eyre Place (refer below) are currently designated as white land within the urban area. Accordingly, a range of land uses, including residential and commercial uses should be supported on the sites subject to compliance with other local plan policies.

Eyre Terrace/Place
5.2 RBSs land and property at Eyre Place/Terrace comprises vacant industrial premises at no. 11-13 Eyre Terrace, together with garage lock-ups to the rear, the Scotsman Building which is currently utilised by RBS for storage, a vacant property at 7 Eyre Terrace and a cleared site fronting Eyre Place which was previously occupied by a tenement, now demolished. 5.3 RBS is currently proposing the redevelopment of this land for a mix of uses which could include residential, care home, offices, retail, hotel and food and drink uses. formal pre-application consultation. A consultation exercise regarding these proposals is currently underway as part of Further details regarding the site and the proposals are set out on the exhibition boards to the first community consultation event held in January 2012 and can be viewed at www.eyreplace.co.uk. 5.4 The proposed redevelopment of this site represents a key windfall opportunity for new housing/other mixed uses within Edinburghs New Town. Redevelopment of this site also provides a significant opportunity to enhance the character and appearance of the New Town Conservation Area and improve the setting of King George V Park, which lies adjacent. Redevelopment of the site could also create new pedestrian routes to the park and beyond, north and south through the new town. 5.5 Part of this site fronting Eyre Place is currently designated in the ECLP as open space. This comprises an area of self seeded vegetation/trees on the site of a former tenement block. As a result, there is a change in levels between this site and the adjacent King George V Park, as these are physically and historically distinct pieces of land. This area of land is in RBSs private ownership and does not provide any publicly accessible open space. Within the Councils Open Space Audit, the quality of this open space is only assessed as fair, which we would question as it does not perform any of the open space objectives and was not conceived to serve an open space

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RBS Group plc

Title

purpose; as noted above, it is effectively a cleared development site . This contrasts to the high quality (check) open space at the adjacent King George V Park. 5.6 Accordingly, given the previously developed nature of this land and the townscape merits of reinstating development along the building line of Eyre Place where an existing tenement once stood, it is requested that the Eyre Place gap site should be removed from the open space designation, and reinstated as white land. 5.7 The value of this open space is not considered of great significance to the area given its quality, poor accessibility and the proximity of open space at King George V Park. Furthermore, it is expected that other policies in the LDP will secure the future delivery of an appropriate amount of replacement open space as part of any Eyre Terrace/Place redevelopment proposals to mitigate the removal of this designation. The location and nature of open space at Eyre Place/Terrace should be determined through emerging development proposals for the site.

Fettes Row
5.8 Adjacent to Eyre Terrace/Place, RBS has further landholdings at Fettes Row. This site has lawful use as a car park and is presently fully utilised for car parking by RBS employees. The existing car park constitutes a significant gap site within the New Town and RBS has longer term aspirations for the site as a redevelopment opportunity. Like Eyre Terrace/Place, this site could also provide a windfall opportunity for new housing and/or other mixed uses within the New Town and provide a further opportunity to enhance the New Town Conservation area through redevelopment. Moreover, the car park site directly abuts the northern boundary of Edinburghs World Heritage site. Its redevelopment could also provide an enhanced boundary edge to the world heritage site. 5.9 RBS would welcome further dialogue with CEC regarding the sites at Eyre Terrace/Place and Fettes Row and respectfully asks that CEC recognises the potential opportunities presented by both sites.

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RBS Group plc

Representations to Edinburgh LDP Main Issues Report

6.
6.1 6.2

36 St Andrew Square
The extent of RBSs ownership at 36 St Andrew Square is shown at appendix 4. 36 St Andrew Square is RBSs registered Head Office and comprises Dundas House, with modern office buildings to the rear.

6.3

36 St Andrew Square is positioned within an area of significant change in the city centre lying within the St James Quarter. Given the above, RBS recognises that the site could provide an opportunity for new mixed uses at St Andrew Square and an opportunity to link to the St James Quarter redevelopment to the east.

6.4

The activation of current dead routes and spaces, particularly at the rear of the site, could create opportunities for new commercial/residential uses at the RBS property. In doing so, its redevelopment would help to deliver key CEC planning objectives for new pedestrian routes/integration in this area as set out in current local planning policy and adopted supplementary guidance, including the approved St James Quarter Development Brief and Princes Street Development Framework.

6.5

RBS would welcome the opportunity for further dialogue with CEC regarding its property at 36 St Andrew square and respectfully requests that the Council recognises the development opportunities afforded by the site.

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Report

Appendix 1

Our Ref: Your Ref:

RYXS

19 December 2011 Proposed Plan Representations SESplan Claremont House 130 East Claremont Street Edinburgh EH7 4LB

Direct Line: 0131 469 6005 richard.slipper@gva.co.uk

Dear Sirs REPRESENTATIONS ON SESplan, ON BEHALF OF RBS GROUP PLC We are appointed by the Land and Property Asset Management Team at RBS Group Plc, to represent them in respect to development plan policy in the Edinburgh area, in so far as it relates to the strategic property and landholdings controlled by RBS Group Plc. Our client will make further contact with members of the SESplan Team and with senior officials within the City of Edinburgh Development in due course, to cover the overall strategy for land and property in the planning context across Edinburgh. But, as an initial step, our client has decided to lodge this representation before the appropriate deadline on the SES Plan consultation. Our client has its main headquarters located at Gogarburn to the south of the A8, in west Edinburgh. Associated with this complex are areas of land to the east at Gogar Park House, to the west at Gogar Mount and also on farmland to the south. These additional areas are estimated to extend respectively to approximately 10 hectares, 12 hectares and 40 hectares. The main existing Gogarburn office complex accommodates approximately 15-18 hectares. Our main interest with the SESplan document is in the policies for the Regional Core and the promotion of a west Edinburgh strategic development area. It is recognised that local development plans will indicate the phasing and mix of uses as appropriate within the SDAs, that our client wishes to make some strategic comments in relation to SES Plan at this stage. Taken with the related context of south east Edinburgh, City Centre and Waterfront SDAs, it is respectfully suggested that the west Edinburgh SDA could be subject to further scrutiny for strategic housing land allocations (particularly with the context of likely changes to plans at Leith Docks). Overall, we believe there is a case on behalf of our client; with a significant land holding which will be subject to future asset assessment, to propose a refreshed look at the balance of proposed long term

The SES Plan Team 19 December 2011

housing provision in west Edinburgh over and above the two tranches of 1,000 units, the first 1,000 units from 2009-2019 and the second 1,000 units from 2019-2024. We believe there is scope to re-assess the level of committed housing, versus proposed new housing in SESplan, with a particular focus on the overall levels being allocated at West Edinburgh and the potential to increase these totals, particularly in the latter part of the Plan. Our clients believe that there is significant scope, at this stage in the development plan process, to raise the question of long term defensible greenbelt boundaries, but in a fair balance with long term sustainable mixed development options, which capitalise upon infrastructure, business and residential development, critical connections, and market interests in viable areas for urban expansion. We believe that our clients landholding should feature in further dialogue on the potential for the West Edinburgh SDA as an internationally recognised area of economic importance. This includes Edinburgh Airport, the Royal Highland Centre, a multi-modal station at Gogar and a proposed International Business Gateway (IBG). These items are noted at paragraph 38 of the Proposed Plan. However, there seems to be an implied spatial restriction of the SDA, to the north of the A8 in this part of the Proposed Plan and RBS believes there is scope to assess further the area to the south of the A8. There are approximately 3,600 employees based at Gogarburn and with additional land resources (some with consent for expansion) to augment this business campus; and to potentially complement it with linked developments for business, leisure, residential and other uses , it is suggested that SESplan should make a more specific reference to the opportunities to plan at a more significant strategic scale in the area south of the A8. It is notable that the west Edinburgh Assessment Area for the SDA, in the main issues report to the LDP includes significant areas to the south of the A8 corridor, running southwards towards the Edinburgh-Glasgow railway. Although this is more likely to be part of our clients representation on the LDP, we believe there is scope to extend the SDA area of search further south to include the RBS headquarters, other RBS owned land and other associated land, in a closer study for a new mixed use urban extension in this vicinity. Overall, we believe it is a reasonable request for further consideration of this extended area for the SDA, in the light of the housing land allocation and our comments earlier on increasing this allocation for the West Edinburgh area. We believe there is significant scope to integrate residential, employment, business and other attractors of international activity, whether this be through business, show ground, conferencing or in more specific business campus formats. We believe that our client accommodates a significant international business campus on the A8 corridor and that the SDA should be reviewed under a wider ambition, to include further land and prospects for an appropriately timed green belt review. As noted elsewhere in the Proposed Plan, other SDAs are proposed for growth through Green Belt release where necessary and we believe it is an appropriate timing and opportunity for the same approach to be taken in the land at, and to the south of the Gogarburn facility.

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The SES Plan Team 19 December 2011

At this stage, our client wishes to conclude representations on SESplan as detailed above, but with an open welcome for further dialogue with the Strategic and Local Planning Authority officials, as efforts progress in 2012 on the parallel exercise of the new SDP and LDP. Yours sincerely

GVA GRIMLEY LTD For and on behalf of The Royal Bank of Scotland

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Report

Appendix 2

Gogar Gateway Concept Diagram

Land safeguarded for airport expansion Dalmeny Chord Rail Link

B
2

KEY Gogarburn golf club Existing Edinburgh Airport Boundary Existing showground/ Airport expansion post 2013

Proposed Scotland National Showground International Business Gateway Gogarburn Phase 2 consent/ Potential developable area Proposed Housing Preferred site MIR

1 3

Maybury 1 IBG 2

2 4

Maybury 2 Edinburgh Park

Accessibility Gogar link road Tram corridor & stop Railway Proposed Gogar Interchange Existing Park + Ride Existing bus service

Potential infrastructure improvements Potential access Potential accessibility Potential future M8 link Potential new public transport link Potential new rail halt Proposals RBS ownership Developable area (housing/employment) Potential further developable area Green buffer Existing developed area

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Appendix 3

Summary of LDP MIR Representations Both sites present a windfall opportunity for new housing/other mixed uses within the Edinburgh New Town; Fettes Row is a significant gap site in New Town; Opportunity to enhance New Town Conservation Area and create enhanced boundary edge to the World Heritage Site; Eyre Place gap site should be removed from open space designation; Redevelopment would provide Improved setting of King George V Park and new pedestrian routes;

Report

Appendix 4

Summary of Representation in respect of 36 St Andrew Square Site could help to regenerate city centre; Positioned within an area of significant change in city centre; Provides opportunity to link with St James Quarter. In doing so, it can deliver key CEC objectives e.g. new pedestrian routes/integration as set out in the approved St James Development Brief. Opportunity for new mixed uses; St James Quarter activation of current dead routes and spaces could create opportunities for new commercial/residential uses at RBS property.
Extract of illustrative masterplan for St James Quarter

Extract of St James Quarter Development Brief