Dear Spurtle
Could CEC not consider the imminent St James Centre gap site and the old Royal High School in tandem, then decide to put the hotel(s) on the land released by the former shopping centre and office block area, leaving the Regent Road space for music school and broader arts use?
Skyline at Calton Hill would remain (relatively) unsullied by generic glass box type architecture and the awful John Lewis building could be demolished with the retailer being given incentive(s) to take on some of the naff space on Princes Street or environs. Just a thought.
S. May