Plan for over 400 student flats and 100 new homes in Edinburgh backed

NEW plans for student flats and build-torent homes in Scotland’s capital city have been recommended for approval.

The 15-storey homes block and 16-floor student flats complex have been reduced in height and the number of homes has been cut by six per cent in a revision.

Edinburgh councillors are due to discuss the scaled-back Ocean Drive development in Leith by S Harrison Developments and CDA tomorrow, with officials supporting the application.

“The principle of both residential and student accommodation with ancillary uses is acceptable at this location,” planning officers reported on the plans, which also include a co-working space.

“The height of the development is in keeping with the emerging heights of the area and will have an acceptable impact on the views as considered in the submitted townscape and visual impact assessment.”

They added: “The proposed design of the blocks follows that of the adjacent spatial pattern with the proposed materials described as referencing the industrial heritage of Leith.

“The proposed landscaping is acceptable with a section of the promenade proposed to link into adjacent sites and open up access to the water’s edge.”

The documents to go before the development management sub-committee continued: “In terms of amenity, there are some infringements on daylighting, both in relation to the adjacent dockside development and the proposed development itself.

“Environmental Protection has raised some amenity concerns for future occupiers of the blocks, primarily in relation to noise from the port and conditions have been recommended to help mitigate the impact.”

The proposal is for a mixed-use development comprising build-to-rent residential accommodation, purpose-built student accommodation, and co-working space on the ground floor, with associated landscaping and infrastructure.

The build-to-rent block will have a total of 112 homes, reduced from 120, split into 24 studio units, 25 one-bedroom, 36 two-bedroom units and 27 three-bedroom flats. Some 25% of the units are to be affordable.

The purpose-built student block will have 404 student bed-spaces.

These will be split into 168 studios, 26 six-bed cluster flats and 16 five-bed cluster flats.