Plans for more students flats near the site of a now-demolished Edinburgh pub have been submitted.
Plans to swap out proposals for a residential development on Willowbrae Road for student accommodation were controversially granted last year on the site of the former Radical Road bar.
The application received nearly 130 objection from locals as local councillor Danny Aston said nobody in the local area wanted student accommodation instead of a mix of private and affordable housing which developers already had the green light to start building.
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83S Student Residence Limited were accused of trying to “pack in students like sardines” after a new application for a 138-bed purpose build student accommodation (PBSA) block were lodged just three months after securing planning permission for 48 flats on the site in September 2023.
Now, new plans for a block of 13 apartments on Northfield Drive have been lodged, adding to over 180 previously granted units.
If awarded planning consent, a standalone hot food takeaway unit on the site would be demolished and replaced by the five-storey development with associated amenity and cycle parking.
Southside Student Build Ltd are behind the plans having teamed up with One Foot Square Architects. A reception would be situated on the ground floor facing Northfield Drive providing security for the building.
A design and access statement submitted with the application adds: “The building will accommodate 13 student dwellings. A generously sized and fully self-sufficient accessible studio is proposed off the ground floor with accessible shower room, cooking/ dining facilities, a lounge area and a work station promoting independent living.
The rear of the development.
(Image: One Foot Square Architects)
“The laundry room is also located off the ground floor. The three upper floors can be accessed via a lift or the stair, with each level containing an autonomous group of cluster flats in accordance with City of Edinburgh Council City Plan 2030.
“All of the accommodation is en-suite and each group of cluster flats will have their own communal lounge/ kitchen/ dining facilities promoting social living. The bin store is located at the side of the building and accessed via shared access through the pend. It is proposed that waste and recycling facilities will be managed privately.”
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In September 2023 initial plans for 48 apartments on the site were granted, with a further 138 units given the green light in August 2024 following a controversial swap from residential to student housing.
The application was eventually determined through appeal by the Scottish Government. You can view the latest proposals on the council’s planning portal here.
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