Student Housing Proposed For Edinburgh

More student accommodation has been proposed for Edinburgh.

The plans, by architects Maclaren Murdoch & Murdoch, would see the student housing developed at 14, 16-18 Bothwell Street in the city.

Located at the east end of Bothwell Street, the development is within the Leith Walk Ward of Edinburgh.

Currently, the site consists of three steel-frame warehouse units, but it is proposed that these structures will be removed and a block of student accommodation constructed in its place. Landscaping works would also be carried out to the north of the site.

In 2012, a Planning Application made for the site for 71 residential units was 'minded to grant', but the current owner has asked to use the same building envelope and heights within the application, but provide a 240-bed student accommodation of cluster bedrooms and studio apartments, rather than the 71 dwellings. Car parking would also be provided on site.


In its design statement, the architectural firm said: "The proposed development respects the scale and character of the townscape and existing tenements.

"The external design is in-keeping with the vertical pattern of existing tenements. The spatial pattern, size and use of materials complement the existing urban fabric and reinforces the existing character of the street.

"The development will improve the existing streetscape by opening out the narrow street running from Easter Road and also by upgrading and

maintaining the park to the north of site. The positioning of the accommodation avoids any overshadowing or loss of privacy to neighbouring properties.

"The proposal is essentially within the same envelope of the previously minded to grant residential scheme of 2012 and retains the majority of external building materials proposed within the development."

(JP/IT)