Plans for abandoned office buildings in Gorgie are set to be approved, with student accommodation erected - despite objections from a local union.
The site, which sits on Westfield Road, is currently occupied by a two storey building as well as two residential cottages. The offices, which have stood on the grounds since the early ‘90s, will be torn down should plans go ahead.
The proposals have had dozens of objections, with the local Living Rent union campaigning against the development late last year. In September, community housing activist Ashley Graczyk said: “The situation is now spiralling completely out of control and Edinburgh Council need to get a handle on this.
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“A 400-bed student megablock has just been built on this very street. It is outrageous to propose building another 300 student beds a stone’s throw away, we need to build social and affordable housing for local people.”
Back in 2016, planning permission for a six story hotel on the site were rejected. The applicant for the student housing claims the development will improve the local area.
They state: “The site is within the urban area, it is in close proximity to local retail and other services, as well as public transport links.
“The proposal would improve local placemaking by bringing this site back in to use.”
Edinburgh Council’s Student Housing Guidance states that when the student population exceeds 50 per cent of the population, there will be imbalance within the community. The application states the new development would raise student population to just 21 per cent.
They added: “When the census data is adjusted to include population figures inclusive of consented development in the area up to the year 2021, the population in the local area was 12,154 which consisted of 2210 students, or 18 per cent.
“The addition of a further 289 students to the local area as a result of the development proposal would bring student numbers to 2499, or 21 per cent.”
The new structure will be comprised of the student rooms, which vary in four, five, six, seven, and eight bedroom clusters. There will also be 14 accessible studio rooms, a bin store, a lobby and office area, a parcel storage room and bicycle storage.
No development will be taking place on the site until the plans have been approved by Edinburgh Council.
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