Plans for a new hotel on the site of Edinburgh’s Old Royal High School, on iconic Calton Hill, are being opposed by the city and national institutions, but with a new appeal in place following two refusals a coalition of heritage bodies opposing the plans need more funds, so the Cockburn Association –Edinburgh’s Civic Trust – is exploring a new platform to secure additional crowdfunded resources, ‘CrowdJustice’.
image: Calton Hill and Old Royal High School, Edinburgh, Courtesy Cockburn Association
Cockburn Association Director Terry Levinthal said: ‘As well as the more usual channels, like newsletters, etc., we want to crowd source funding, as we know that over 3,000 individuals lodged objections to the proposals to convert the former Royal High School into a luxury hotel.’
‘CrowdJustice, a dedicated service for supporting legal and quasi-legal issues, had added benefits for users. The site verifies the validity of ask with the legal professionals cited as helping the campaign.
‘Of course this in itself doesn’t guarantee success. Huge amounts of marketing and social media pressure are always needed to drive people to the crowd fund site, but at least it offers another plank in the fundraising strategy.’
The Cockburn Association writes:
… Thomas Hamilton’s Royal High School, built between 1825-9, is one of the most important Greek Revival buildings in Europe and was one of the buildings to inspire the moniker of ‘Athens of the North’. It is composed of a powerful symmetrical grouping of principal Doric temple-pavilion, flanking colonnades and subsidiary temples, fully exploiting a prominent elevated site.
… developers are proposing to convert the building into a luxury ‘6-star Art Hotel’, which will include two massive bedroom wings that will swamp the careful composition of the Category A-listed former Royal High School buildings, and seriously affect the setting of not only this building, but of Calton Hill, one of the most important landscape features in the City.
A Coalition of Edinburgh-based organisations are opposing the hotel plan and are committed to fighting this scheme at the upcoming appeal. The Coalition includes Edinburgh World Heritage, a charity responsible for the conservation and promotion of the city’s World Heritage Site; The Cockburn Association, founded in 1875 to preserve and promote Edinburgh’s heritage and landscape; and the New Town & Broughton Community Council, representing residents….
Funds will be used to pay for this legal representation which supports the preparation of Appeal documents, precognitions of witnesses, and the critical cross-examination of the developer’s professional witnesses in the formal inquiry sessions.
Crowdjustice writes:
Whether you’re taking legal action to create change for yourself, a family member, your community or even your entire country, CrowdJustice is here to support you. Our tools make fundraising for your case or legal project simple:
- Tell your story: Build your CrowdJustice page, tell your story and show what you’re hoping to achieve with the funds. Our simple platform makes this easy!
- Spread the word: Share your page far and wide, mobilising your network to support your cause. We give you access to loads of tips and tricks to help support your efforts.
- Raise money: Start collecting pledges and watch the total go up on your page! We send the funds directly to your lawyer once you’ve hit your target. It’s that simple.
See more on the funding campaign
