Basement of Edinburgh's former BHS department store on Princes Street to be a huge gym

Permission has been granted to build a huge gym in the basement of the former department store.

Work on the site of the former BHS store on Princes Street has been ongoing for months (Pic: Lisa Ferguson)

The basement of the former BHS department store on Edinburgh’s Princes Street is set to be transformed into a large gym.

Work on demolishing the well-known flagship listed site and rebuilding a £20m mixed use development of retail, hotel and leisure has been ongoing for months.

Included in the original blueprints are a massive retail space on Princes Street, a rooftop hotel, and two restaurants on Rose Street.

But now LaSalle Investment Management, agents acting on behalf of the owners, have been granted permission to change the large basement area into a 1855 sq m gym with access from Rose Street after a fall-off in demand for shop space caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.

Full details of which gym operators will go into the property, or the layout of the gym itself, have yet to be revealed, but the development will be the first large-scale commercial gym on Scotland’s most famous street once complete.

In a letter to planners, agents said: “Given the current nature of the retail market, there is limited interest in the occupation of the basement unit and as such the applicant is keen to secure the option of accommodating an alternative use within the unit to ensure that the full building at 64 Princes Street is let.

“This application relates to the proposed change of use of the basement level of the property to allow for a Class 11 use (Assembly and Leisure). No other changes to the consented scheme are proposed by this application.

“The basement level premises will be occupied by a gym operator and the principle access to the basement will be taken from Rose Street. The attached drawings show the extent of the floorspace subject of this application. The basement level extends to 1,855 sqm, with the upper ground entrance floorspace extending to 39 sqm."

The scheme has been granted planning permission by officials under delegated powers.

In their reponse letter, officials said: “The proposal is compatible with surrounding uses and will not lead to a significant increase in noise, disturbance and on-street activity at unsocial hours to the detriment of living conditions for nearby residents; and the development will be easily accessible by public transport, foot and cycle.

“There are no residential properties in close proximity to this basement unit and its location on Princes Street is on a major bus route, near a tram stop and easily

accessible on foot or cycle.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Subscribe to the Edinburgh Evening News online and enjoy unlimited access to trusted, fact-checked news and sport from Edinburgh and the Lothians. Visit https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director