There should be a moratorium on new hotel developments in Edinburgh's Old Town, a heritage group has said.

The Cockburn Association has raised concerns over the impact of new hotels on the historic character of the city and local infrastructure.

It has objected to plans for a new hotel in Parliament Square, just off the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh was recently revealed as having the highest hotel occupancy rates in Scotland and came second in the UK behind London.

More than 1.6 million tourists arrive in the city each year.

The group's director Terry Levinthal said: "The Cockburn Association has called for a moratorium on new hotel developments in the city centre.

"Particularly in places that are under enormous tourism pressure like the Old Town.

"The enormous pressure of these kind of land uses and the tourists coming into town is really causing significant concerns about the community vitality and the community viability of people who live in this city.

"It also has impacts on businesses as well."

He said the growth of hotels was "chronically under-managed" and a moratorium would help to address this.

Edinburgh council said it could not comment on an ongoing planning application.

However it said it would investigate the benefits and the burdens of tourism growth in the city.