USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
What about the dome?
Scotland Debate
- Thread starter Doon frae Troon
- Start date
What about the dome?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Which was sold on to O2 and is currently still being used
As is the Olympic Park and the highly successful Channel Tunnel
Old Skier
Tour Winner
No argument about the horrific poor management of public funds just the response from SLH.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
Did we pay for the Sydney Opera house? didn't know that.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
All I am saying is that it is not unusual for significant and 'statement' building projects to go well over budget. Besides - it is built. You can either accept that the budget for it was significantly overspent or let it bug you. I don't expect there to be too many public building projects happening in the near future on the scale or importance of the Holyrood parliament buildings. I blame the politicians who let it happen.
I'm not sure of the business case for the Edinburgh tram system - and as I understand it - certainly unsure that one could be made for what has now been built.
I'm not sure of the business case for the Edinburgh tram system - and as I understand it - certainly unsure that one could be made for what has now been built.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
The very simple facts of the matter are that it was a scandalously mis-managed project. To open 3 years late is bad enough; to cost over 10 times the initial estimate shows criminal levels of inefficiency.
It looks crap, a 60s Eastern Block style building would have done the job; it's a parliament building, the important bit is what happens inside, not how it looks as a tourist photo backdrop.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Olympic overspend? Surely not!
That supposedly came in 'under budget'! :rofl: It did make a 'profit' though! The scariest thing about the Scottish Parliament was that way MSPs actually voted to simply remove the £195M cap - effectively saying 'build it, irrespective of the cost'!
@Stevie_R As SILH posted, the £40M was finger in the air stuff. First 'official' budget was £109M - still huge and only 25% of the final amount.
It does cost something approaching 500k/year to clean the building and windows too!
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SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I agree with that sentiment fully. But it's built - and whether you like it or not is simply opinion. I guess not many on here will like 'brutalist' and 'modernist' architecture - as it happens I do like a lot of what many would have pulled down - though opinion is moving towards keeping it these days (see Preston Bus Station as a recent example 'saved' from demolition).
It is not so long ago that anything Victorian/Gothic looking was detested and hauled down whenever possible - the most scandalous in Glasgow IMO being the YMCA building in Bothwell Street and St Enoch Station and Hotel (for the UK MoD move which was never going to happen).
Maybe a new Scottish modern vernacular style will emerge in the coming decades that doesn't mimic crow-stepped gables and fortified tower houses.
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MegaSteve
Tour Winner
Puzzling... All the massive overspends on government I.T. projects seem to have [conveniently] not been mentioned... All of you 'work' in I.T.?
lex!
Challenge Tour Pro
OK, spent far too much money on it but it's a great looking building IMO. Very eye catching, I really admire it when I go past. Big draw for Edinburgh tourists too.
Foxholer
Blackballed
It's nothing to do with the architecture! I'm neutral on that - some good, some not so good imo. It's the irresponsibility I object to - in the same way as I did with the original Millenium Dome plan - £600M to build (plus £200M overrun), then pull down 1 year later!
There's a desk (for 6) in Holyrood that cost 88k! What?!
Yep. Those are the biggest of the lot! And far less visible!
The NHS (existing past and future) ones being right up there as the worst examples! Though there are plenty of others too!
Anyway....Back to the proper use of the building - for Governing Scotland, devolved or independently!
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Old Skier
Tour Winner
If Independence happens the first thing that will happen is some politician will declare it's not big enough.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
Olympic overspend? Surely not!
The scariest thing about the Scottish Parliament was that way MSPs actually voted to simply remove the £195M cap - effectively saying 'build it, irrespective of the cost'!
@Stevie_R As SILH posted, the £40M was finger in the air stuff. First 'official' budget was £109M - still huge and only 25% of the final amount.
It does cost something approaching 500k/year to clean the building and windows too!
Well that's ok then.
It still looks hideous. Tourist attraction? not really, people travelling from overseas might give it a quick look but I doubt it serves to attract anyone to travel to Edinburgh. I would be amazed if it has had any affect of tourism figures at all.
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
It is certainly always hoaching with tourists around there although I suspect Holyrood (across the road) is the bigger draw.
lex!
Challenge Tour Pro
It IS very much a tourist attraction in the city, in a superb setting.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
The problem with government IT projects is more often that not due to moving goalposts. The suppler signs up to deliver one thing but the process takes so long that by the time they get going the requirements change and so cost start escalating - and so on it goes with a government or departmental expert appearing out of every nook and cranny proclaiming to be a key stakeholder and to be consulted - and so it goes on.
Some IT projects work pretty well though. Government Gateway for one - on 30/31st January of each year it is - with the HMRC Tax SA website - one of the most heavily used transactions websites in the world - and tends to keep going under the strain.
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Adi2Dassler
Journeyman Pro
The Scottish parliament building is a solid bit of kit (except for those pesky leaking window seat thingmys) and I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.I'd have gone for a refit of Donaldsons in the west end and kept the Royal High on Calton hill as the second chamber of any bicameral govt.
Donaldsons has to be the nicest building in all of Edinburgh
Donaldsons has to be the nicest building in all of Edinburgh
lex!
Challenge Tour Pro
For me, it has to be Fettes College
(where tony blair learnt how to be a socialist)
Adi2Dassler
Journeyman Pro
Good shout.I just like how Donaldsons sits almost 'welcoming' folk into the city centre.
lex!
Challenge Tour Pro
No doubt, Donaldsons is a fabulous sight.
