SIR Sean Connery has been lobbying the new SNP government to throw its weight behind plans to open a national photography centre in the old Royal High School.

The city-born screen legend is understood to have been trying to persuade First Minister Alex Salmond and Culture Minister Linda Fabiani to give the £20 million project the crucial backing it needs.

There were fears the idea could be scuppered after Jack McConnell refused to get behind the scheme. But the intervention of Sir Sean – a patron of the project – in the wake of May's elections has raised new hopes.

Organisers of the bid have also scored a coup by securing access to one of Scotland's most important photographic collections - an archive of 350,000 images kept by St Andrews University.

The photographic centre would be known as the Hill Adamson, in honour of two of photography's pioneers – David Hill and Robert Adamson – who worked near the Royal High on Calton Hill.

The St Andrews archive includes some of the best examples of early photographic work, including that of Hill and Adamson.

Michael Shea, the former press secretary to the Queen and chairman of the Hill Adamson project, said: "This building is going to waste and is falling apart. We believe this is the perfect project to bring it to life."

The photographic centre proposal is at a more advanced stage than a rival bid to open a military museum in the building. Four influential new board members have been appointed to help drive ahead the plans and prepare a National Lottery bid.

Dr Norman Reid, keeper of the St Andrews University collection, the former head of Scottish Television Donald Emslie, property expert Andy Carswell and business specialist Jacquie Edwards have all agreed to join the Hill Adamson team.

Mr Shea said: "They are all really good people with lots of experience and we're delighted to have them with us to help take this forward. We are pushing ahead with creating a business plan and the lottery application and we believe that these people will help with that."

The appointment of Dr Reid is expected to lead to deals being done with museums and galleries to allow the new centre access to their collections.

Dr Reid said: "It is a very important project as photography is a really important aspect of Scotland's heritage but is under-represented in the museum sector."

Under Jack McConnell's Labour-Lib Dem coalition, civil servants had tried to persuade the museum team to abandon the Royal High in favour of a proposed new arts centre on the city's Waterfront.

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "Ministers are expected to receive advice on the project over the summer as part of their consideration of this year's strategic spending review."

Military museum group to seek new venue
A GROUP that wants to set up a military museum in the old Royal High School says it will look at other buildings if the photography centre bid is a success.

George Robinson, secretary of the One O'Clock Gun Association [3], is heading a steering committee working to set up a Scottish military heritage centre. The group is to commission a feasibility study on the project later this month and will consider other venues.

Members say they are at an early stage and expect the campaign to take years before it can come fully to fruition – pointing out that the photography centre plans were first mooted in 2002.

Mr Robinson said: "It's going to be a long haul, and we accept that. But this project is growing all the time and the enthusiasm is building for it.

"The photography centre has all the heavyweights, like Sean Connery, but I'm sure we can get that over time. If they get what they want then we'd wish good luck to them."