A landmark office building opposite Edinburgh Zoo is set to be transformed into a 235-bedroom hotel after plans were approved by City of Edinburgh Council.
Silvan House, at 231 Corstorphine Road, was previously home to Forestry Commission Scotland, which vacated the five-storey building in 2023.
The redevelopment will include a restaurant and bar, fitness facilities and an events space, as well as improvements to the building’s exterior.
The plans were submitted by Zunikh Silvan House Limited, which intends to convert the prominent office block into visitor accommodation while retaining much of its existing structure.
Council planners approved the proposals despite 15 objections from local residents.
Concerns included increased traffic, noise and the potential impact on neighbouring properties. Some residents also questioned why the building was not being considered for housing instead.
There were 20 public representations in total, including three neutral comments and two letters of support.
Approving the plans, the council’s chief planning officer David Givan said: “Overall, the proposal for a hotel and ancillary uses in this location is acceptable in principle.
“The introduction of a hotel use to an existing commercial building is appropriate in terms of amenity and the characteristics of the site, and its interfaces with surrounding neighbouring land uses result in an acceptable environment regarding privacy.”
He also highlighted the building’s proximity to public transport and plans to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure and bicycle parking.
The proposed hotel would occupy the distinctive U-shaped building, which dates from the early 1970s and has approximately 8,265 square metres of floor space.
The conversion would involve relatively modest changes to the exterior, including replacing the existing revolving entrance door with automatic sliding doors.
New windows would also be installed at the rear of the building to provide additional daylight for guest bedrooms.
Inside, the former office accommodation would be divided into hotel rooms, while the restaurant and bar would have capacity for around 160 diners.
The building sits opposite one of Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions and is also within easy reach of Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Airport and the city centre.
In planning documents, the developer said: “The proposed change of use from office to hotel delivers an efficient transformation of an underutilised building through a strategy focused on reuse, spatial efficiency, and targeted refurbishment.”
The building was originally designed as offices for the Forestry Commission and has more recently been used as studio space, including by Edinburgh Printworks.
No hotel operator has yet been appointed, meaning the eventual brand and operating arrangements remain to be confirmed.
Planning permission has been granted subject to conditions, including further details of pedestrian access to the nearby bus stop and separate approval for a covered bicycle store.
The developer has three years to begin work on the conversion.