Plans to turn Edinburgh's Old Royal High building into music school given go ahead
Councillors backed the proposals at a meeting earlier.
A proposal to turn an at-risk A-listed building in Edinburgh into a music school has been approved.
Under the plans, the former Royal High School will become home to Scotland's only independent music school, St Mary's Music School.
The building at the foot of Calton Hill was designed by celebrated Scottish architect Thomas Hamilton in 1825.
Councillors unanimously approved the plans, submitted by the Royal High School Preservation Trust, at a meeting on Wednesday.
A previous bid back in December to turn the building into a luxury hotel was narrowly rejected, and developers are currently appealing that decision.
A report by council planners said the music school would bring the building, which is on the Buildings at Risk Register, back into long-term use.
Trust chairman William Gray Muir said: The former Royal High School is pivotal to Edinburgh's World Heritage status and our plans are designed to celebrate, conserve and enhance the site for the people of Edinburgh. By making it home to St Mary's Music School we also hope to reinforce musical education at the heart of the city's cultural heritage.
We are delighted that our proposals have received unanimous approval, with the City of Edinburgh Council granting us a special, extended seven-year time-scale for planning and listed building consent.
This is a wonderful opportunity to transform a building at risk into a dynamic asset for students, residents, visitors to the city, educational and cultural organisations and the creative sector as a whole.''
Dr Kenneth Taylor, headteacher at St Mary's Music School, currently based in Edinburgh's Grosvenor Crescent, added: A move to the Royal High School under the Trust's plans would enable St Mary's Music School to have the performance space we have always aspired to. It will enable us to bring music lovers into the school and greatly expand our outreach activities.''