The EU has launched an investigation into the handling of Mountgrange’s controversial £300m Caltongate plans in Edinburgh, only weeks after heritage watchdog Unesco launched its own inquiry.
Officials in Brussels have bowed to pressure from David Black, an architectural historian who prompted a similar inquiry into the Holyrood Parliament building, and will consider his complaint against the city council.
Last month, Unesco sparked an investigation into Edinburgh’s World Heritage status amid concerns about the impact of the 6.5-acre development which will see two listed buildings demolished.
Reports in the Edinburgh Evening News claim Black – a founder of the Old Town Association – has claimed competition laws were broken in the sale of a patch of land for the massive project.
He also said that planning convener Jim Lowrie breached rules by prematurely commenting on the scheme in the Evening News – although the Standards Commission for Scotland later cleared him of this.
After five months, the office of the secretariat-general of the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, has ruled Black’s complaints admissible.
Although no comment has been made on the validity of the allegations, officials will now decide whether to start an “infringement procedure” – which could go before the European courts.
Caltongate will comprise 185,000 sq ft of offices, 200 flats, an arts quarter, and a 205-bedroom hotel and conference centre in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
It received planning approval in June despite around 1,800 objections being received.
