Dewar vetoed site because he didn't like the view

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Archiseek / UK / Scotland / News / 2003 / November 25

Donald Dewar disliked the idea of building a parliament on Calton Hill because he thought the architecture of St Andrew's House was "somewhat fascist", the inquiry into the Holyrood costs fiasco heard yesterday. The building also failed to appeal to him because it reminded him of train journeys he used to take to meet Michael Forsyth, the former Conservative minister. The Fraser inquiry heard that the late Secretary of State for Scotland's view of St Andrew's House was affected by the 1930s art deco architecture and its location overlooking Edinburgh's Waverley Station.

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