Mollie’s has submitted a planning application for a new hotel and diner at Edinburgh Park, marking the brand’s first proposed site in Scotland and its fourth in the UK.The value-luxe hotel and diner operator has lodged detailed plans with City of Edinburgh Council for a development on a 0.63-hectare site at the southern edge of the business park, one of the city’s main growth locations.

If approved, the scheme would comprise 207 guest bedrooms alongside a lobby, reception and lounge, a diner and bar with an outdoor terrace, ancillary facilities and car parking, including electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The proposals were subject to public consultation earlier this year.

Mollie’s said the location was selected due to demand from business and leisure visitors and its proximity to key transport links, including road networks, the city centre and Edinburgh Airport. The hotel would provide accommodation outside the city centre as Edinburgh Park continues to expand.

The company plans to work with 3D Reid Architects, Lichfields Planning Consultants and Amicus Property Consultants on the project.

The development is expected to follow the same sustainability standards as Mollie’s existing properties. The company achieved B Corp certification in October last year, a designation recognising social and environmental performance.

According to figures submitted with the application, the construction phase of the project could support the equivalent of 455 full-time jobs and generate £38.6m in gross value added (GVA) per year during build-out. Once operational, the hotel is forecast to create 69 full-time equivalent roles, contribute around £3.3m of direct GVA annually and add an estimated 120,888 visitor nights each year.

Edinburgh Park has been the focus of significant commercial and leisure development in recent years. Plans for the area include the opening of an 8,500-capacity AEG Arena, which is scheduled for 2028.

The council will consider the planning application as part of its standard development management process.

Matt Bell, managing director at Mollie’s, said: “Edinburgh is a dynamic and vibrant year-round tourism destination, and the perfect choice for our first investment in Scotland. The city has so much to offer, both in the centre and out, and Edinburgh Park is just one example of that, particularly with planned investments such as the AEG Arena. 

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that the submitted proposals are closely aligned with the council’s ambitions for the area to become the go-to destination for visitors outside the traditional city-centre hotspots.” 

He added: “We’re confident the value-luxe, people-first approach of Mollie’s will integrate seamlessly with the wider Edinburgh Park vision, and we couldn’t be more excited to service existing and new users of the area and the wider community.”

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