EICC secures planning approval for sustainable hotel

The City of Edinburgh Council has rubber stamped plans for the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) to create one of Scotland’s most sustainable hotels. Marshall Dallas, CEO of EICC, said: “Not only is the hotel integral to the future of the EICC, but we also see it being a key component in the return of business tourism to Edinburgh. From the very outset, sustainability was near the top of the agenda, it has always been a strong part of our offering as a venue, so we’re pleased to be setting a standard here.” Adam McVey, the City of Edinburgh Council Leader, added: “The refreshed business case, approved today, sets out a robust economic and social case to proceed with this exciting and ambitious development for our capital city. This project strengthens the offer of our publicly owned EICC and delivers a bright future as conferences return to the city. The establishment of the hotel school will support and benefit our hospitality and tourism sectors by creating employment and training opportunities for local people who can then build a successful career in Edinburgh.” M&G Real Estate is funding the hotel and hotel school, which is being delivered by Qmile Group as part of its £350m (US$415m) Haymarket Edinburgh development. The EICC will operate the 350-bedroom four-star hotel under a franchise agreement with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The hotel is expected to create over 200 jobs and is set to open in 2024. The hotel school and training academy will partner with Edinburgh College, aiming to offer a career path for students and trainees and providing a pipeline of qualified people for Scotland’s leisure and tourism industry. The EICC-Edinburgh College partnership forecasts that it will train up to 200 people every year.