92-bed hotel development planned for Kirkwall

Introducing high quality visitor accommodation alongside enhanced active travel routes and new public realm, the proposal is a substantial redevelopment of the former Jewsons yard - an underutilised brownfield site in the heart of the town.

The site sits in a modern mixed-use development on reclaimed land at the northwest edge of Kirkwall’s conservation area, over what was the town’s original harbour. A building of two halves, it marries the form and vernacular of Kirkwall’s historic core with the industrial/ commercial nature of Junction Road and modern harbour area.

Kirkwall’s medieval burgage plot system has been repurposed to zone the site into linear strips, with the re-use of existing buildings allowing the creation of active travel routes and an inner public garden.

Through use of form, colour and texture the proposal stitches together – both physically and visually - the old and new. Tapping into the elements that make this historic cathedral town unique; the thematic use of repeated gables, use of local materials, textures and patterns, all combine to create a proposal that is of its place.

The project aligns with the Central West Kirkwall Development Brief and supports the Kirkwall Urban Design Development Framework. It contributes to wider objectives aimed at improving movement, enhancing the town centre and creating welcoming civic spaces. The proposal reinforces Kirkwall’s role as a destination for residents and visitors while supporting the island’s growing tourism economy.