Malcolm Fraser, whose portfolio includes the Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, DanceBase and Dovecot Studios, has issued an open letter describing the proposals as “madness.”

A proposal of application notice (PAN) submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council outlines the demolition of the 11-storey building and redevelopment of the site into a mixed-use complex featuring residential units, hotels, offices, commercial spaces, parking, and landscaped areas.

The building, constructed between 1966 and 1969, was sold to US firm PGIM Real Estate for £38 million in 2023. It has long divided opinion, with heritage groups such as the Cockburn Association previously calling it one of the worst examples of 1960s office architecture.

Despite its reputation, Argyle House has become a hub for Edinburgh’s tech sector. It is home to CodeBase, one of the UK’s largest start-up incubators, and more than 80 small businesses employing around 900 people. CodeBase, which only recently renewed its lease for another year, said it had no prior warning of the demolition plans.

A spokesperson reassured tenants that “this is the very start of what is typically a long process” and confirmed there is no immediate impact on the community.

The building has also achieved unexpected fame on screen. Its annexe at West Port appeared as a police station in Netflix’s Dept Q, starring Matthew Goode, and it featured in the TV adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Crime.

Fraser’s letter, addressed to politicians, amenity groups and city stakeholders, argues that Argyle House plays a vital role in Edinburgh’s economy, heritage, and sustainability.

He highlights three key concerns:

• Economic impact: Fraser notes that Argyle House has nurtured two “unicorn” companies valued at over $1 billion, and warns that evicting innovative start-ups for hotels and luxury flats risks undermining Scotland’s strongest economic sector.
• Heritage and placemaking: He defends the building as a “distinguished modernist” structure that contributes to Edinburgh’s character, citing its thoughtful urban design and recalling praise from local taxi drivers for its presence.
• Climate concerns: Fraser condemns the demolition as wasteful and environmentally irresponsible, arguing that tearing down a “sturdy, solid and useful building” would squander embodied carbon at a time of climate emergency.

Public consultation events on the proposals are scheduled at the Edinburgh Futures Institute on December 2 and January 28.