Rose Theatre to be turned into hotel
Council gives planning permission for Hotel
Developers have today been given permission to convert the B-listed Rose Theatre on Rose Street into a 43 bedroom hotel with cafe/bar at rooftop level at the second time of asking.
Having had their plans rejected as “cultural vandalism” in November, ANTA Design re-submitted their application on behalf of Morningbridge Ltd. Today’s (Wednesday 29 April 2026) development management sub-committee considered and accepted the new plans which account for the objections previously voiced by members.
A birds-eye view of the Rose Theatre at the West end of Rose Street, with Edinburgh castle in the background. The proposals include a roof cafe.
The new plans reduce the number of rooms by four, and crucially retain the central sanctuary space at the heart of the building. This open space goes up two floors and includes the pulpit and seating for the congregation of the original Baptist Chapel, which opened in 1912.
Councillors who had already had a site visit to the Rose Theatre in November 2025, were shown images of the existing sanctuary space, with the original and newest plans side by side (see images below). They also examined plans for the new layout of windows in the East wall of the building.
synthesis
After a presentation from council officers who recommended that the council accept the new plans, Councillor Mowat recalled that this is the third time the building has come before the committee since it was sold by the Baptist congregation in 2012 and had an application to turn it into a super-pub rejected.
She said: “Then we had the theatre, which has not been able to be a successful and sustainable model, despite us all being very excited about it.
“What we’ve now got is a synthesis between preserving the historic features, but hopefully [finding] a sustainable use for this building. It is important to me that buildings have that sustainable future, rather than we sit and wait for an absolutely perfect but non sustainable future for them. I think this is a sensible compromise.”
The pulpit of the Rose Theatre as it is at the moment. Pic ANTA plans.
Cllr Tim Pogson recognised the “valuable opportunity” of the site visit, to appreciate the magnificence of the building and its internal space.
He said: “I do regret that we are losing those balconies, which are fabulous and just the whole space there where we are losing a lot. And I regret that we can’t sustain a performance space within the city centre. I would have liked to have seen that continue, of course.
“But, having said all that and taking account of the fact that we clearly need compromise here, I do welcome all the work that’s gone into this to retain a great deal of what we saw in the spirit of that space, even if we are losing those balcony aspects of it.”
pulpit
As part of their commitment to retaining the internal historic features, ANTA Design say that before work starts, the pulpit will be photographically recorded and its condition noted. During construction is will be enclosed within a free-standing protective enclosure and no fixings will be made into the existing timbers.
- Full details of the planning application are in the Edinburgh Council planning portal here. Or search for planning application 26/00544/FUL on the portal here.
Cross sections of plans through the central Sanctuary space of the Rose Theatre. The central section is the exiting building, with balconies and pulpit in place. On the left is the original hotel proposal, which would have filled the whole void space with rooms. On the right is a render of the latest plan, which loses the balcony but retains the Sanctuary space. Pic: ANTA plans.
ENDS
