York property developer signs major deal with Malmaison Group

York’s property development firm, S Harrison has signed a development agreement with hotel company, Malmaison Hotel du Vin Group.

The partnership is set to transform a historic building in Edinburgh’s New Town into the second location in the city for the group’s collection of boutique hotels.

The Grade A-listed Buchan House in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh will now benefit from a multi-million pound investment, creating approximately 50 new jobs ahead of the 72-bedroom hotel opening next year.

S Harrison’s development director, David Clancy, said: “This is an exciting project and we are very pleased to conclude this deal with Malmaison, who will bring to life such an extremely prominent building.

“Its history and architectural features will form the foundations of a memorable and truly unique hotel. Malmaison’s high quality offering and styling in other high-profile buildings throughout the UK ensures it will be the perfect fit for Buchan House.”

Planning permission was granted for the redevelopment in November 2017, while renovation work on the historic building (covering 44,000 sq ft) will begin in the next few months.

Malmaison is aiming to restore the building’s period features, making Buchan House a unique hotel offering within the famous Georgian architecture of Edinburgh’s New Town.

It will be S Harrison’s second development for the Malmaison Hotel du Vin Group, with work due to complete on a luxurious Hotel du Vin in Stratford-upon-Avon. The work has seen two Grade II-listed Georgian townhouses transformed into a 46-bedroom hotel.

S Harrison’s in Edinburgh is said to be growing following its successful £23m redevelopment of a site on Leith Walk in 2016. The site was formerly part of Edinburgh’s original Botanic Gardens and was transformed into a 240-bedroom, student accommodation scheme.

Guus Bakker, chief executive officer at Malmaison Hotel du Vin, added: “Edinburgh is a much loved global destination for tourists and business alike.

“We are delighted to be complementing our existing Leith hotel with a great venue for visitors to the city centre. Where better to demonstrate our commitment to Scotland than with the opening of Malmaison in the famous St Andrew Square?”

The new hotel will complement the popular Malmaison Edinburgh Leith, which famously occupies the site of a former “house of ill-repute”, and was the first ever Malmaison to open in 1994.