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Noise and traffic fear over new £22 million student flats proposal



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Published Date: 01 February 2008
By ALAN RODEN
AROUND 200 residents are fighting plans to build new £22 million digs for hundreds of students in Leith amid fears over noise and traffic chaos.
The proposed scheme involves building four new buildings with 264 student beds and a refreshments area on the site of the former Martin & Frost showroom and car park on McDonald Road.

Around 50 objectors turned up to protest at a recent public mee
ting, and the plans have also been criticised by local Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz.

Residents are concerned that students will cause noise late night at when they return from pubs or clubs.

The development would be car-free, with around 220 cycle spaces, but locals fear the students, visitors and their families will still bring vehicles to the area and use nearby parking bays.

The Unite Group, the UK's biggest student accommodation provider, is behind the plans, which are set to be discussed by councillors within weeks.

The proposals include 62 student flats in a mix of four and five-bed clusters at the north end of McDonald Road.

The scheme also includes a reception area, commercial unit and garden.

McDonald Road Residents Association spokesperson Jackie Bell said: "300 students is a huge number to fit into this area. This is a quiet area where lots of young families live, and there isn't much noise in the evenings."

Mr Lazarowicz, Edinburgh North and Leith MP, added: "This is a densely populated area, and there has already been a lot of development."

He added: "Residents are understandably extremely concerned."

Mike Pottinger-Glass, design and planning director at Unite in Scotland, said: "Our proposal for 130 McDonald Road has been carefully designed to be sympathetic with its surroundings."



The full article contains 294 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 01 February 2008 11:12 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Mortgage and property news
 
1

Daff,

Edinburgh 01/02/2008 11:42:12
Enough is enough. Thes Unite people are already building at Greenside Place. How many more student flats does the city centre need. Kick the proposal into touch. Theres not going to be anyone left in the city centre apart from students soon!.
2

Heartfelt,

EDINBURGH 01/02/2008 12:06:43
Yes, but one point in the Nimby statement is that people would use nearby car parking bays. wow. is there some rule preventing cars parking in parking spaces? If not they're doing nothing wrong. If yes the rule enforcers just need to be contacted and the appropriate action taken.

Valid reservations are negated by exaggerating or inventing possible scenarios.

3

Hamish B,

Edinburgh 01/02/2008 12:08:45
McDonald road is a part of Leith?it isn't even over the official border so this is just nonsense. Another example of someone who attempts to write about Edinburgh and yet knows nothing about it. McDonald road is in Bellevue/Broughton but certainly NOT Leith
4

Young Gordon,

The Shore 01/02/2008 12:08:56
#1 not to mention, the massive new student digs being built across McDonald Road where Kwik Fit are!!!!
5

Senzible,

Edinburgh 01/02/2008 12:10:29
Oh my god they're taking over. Ahhhhh! More purpose built accomodation does not equal more students. They have to live somewhere and it's either in the purpose built buildings or your next door neighbour... Maybe in your tenement... Coming in late, playing loud music etc. My only reservation is perhaps some parking would have been a good idea.
6

Young Gordon,

The Shore 01/02/2008 12:13:11
#2 as much as your point is valid, this particular street has only a handful of spaces available down it and nearby (as Leith Walk is of no use). There are no where near enough spaces for the current residents as it is, never mind a surge on that. It was also subject to the CPZ measures last year, and so the surrounding streets are fully blocked all day also.
7

rabmataz,

01/02/2008 12:16:09
That area of town has always been full of students, what's the problem? At least during summer they'll be used as hostels for backpackers etc.
8

Heartfelt,

EDINBURGH 01/02/2008 12:26:34
#6 thanks for your update. I've not been down MacDonald Road for a few years - sound like half of the city these days

Just another plus point in Edinburghs bid to be 2010 European City of Pedestrians. It'll be like the smoking ban soon. You can go into the pub but go outside to smoke. You can come into Edinburgh but go outside if you want to drive.
9

Aye Right...,

01/02/2008 12:26:39
Fine... leave it as it is and the locals can use it as a drinking / crack den. That's more in keeping with the local wildlife...
10

Ganjass,

01/02/2008 12:57:26
Are students any worse than neds?! At the end of the this is a university city, hence students need to come and live here.
Lets not forget Newington was a dive back in the days when it was infested with neds, now its a thriving area due to the students who live about there.
11

Paul Voltaire,

01/02/2008 12:58:32
What a lot of intolerance there is in the world.
The presence of students may enhance an area.
12

brettgallacher,

edinburgh 01/02/2008 12:58:50
this is the result of jack take a bung mocconnel doing a deal with china we send them a bottle of whisky they send us thousands and thousands of chinese cockle pickers cleaners big mac operatives i worked beside 16 chinese cleaners all of them claim to be students enrolled then got visa for 4 years didnt go anywhere near uni just took on 4 parttimejobs
13

Young Gordon,

Edinburgh 01/02/2008 13:08:13
#10 and #11 I am merely an observer and admirer of this street ok and there are many new really well built blocks of flats down McDonald Road in recent years (with parking factored in). The problem here is not with students, or noise etc (although that is a possibility) the problem here is there is NO parking for this block (and it is being built on a previous car park! (the fact that Martin & Frost was there is nothing because it was always empty and the building much smaller than the space around it) - it will have space for 220 bikes ok, but new builds cannot ignore space for visitors!
14

antifa,

01/02/2008 13:16:59
Does anybody know what's happening to Shrubhill House (the old council building)? I thought they were knocking that down to make way for students digs - but nothing seems to be happening. I wish it would - it's easily the ugliest building in Ed. Although there are going to be a lot of students in that area with Unite basically buying up the whole place.
15

Young Bob,

Right Here.... 01/02/2008 13:43:46
WE SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LOCAL KIDS WHO WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY HERE BUT CANT BECAUSE THEY'RE SQUEEZED OUT BY THEIR MORE AFFLUENT AND FEE PAYING ENGLISH COUNTERPARTS.

IN 2008
FURTHER EDUCATION IS A BUSINESS.
16

Billy Effluvia,

Paris, France 01/02/2008 14:26:05
But what is your point?
17

Aye Right...,

01/02/2008 14:50:34
YOUNG BOAB...!! WE'RE NO DEAF!!
18

earnabob,

01/02/2008 15:21:06
Young Boab, it matters not where the students come from and universities here have always taken loads from below the border.
The universities here are also aware of the funding situation and this is one of the reasons why they are expanding - they'll still take the best from here.
I am currently a student (and scottish), have been a student previously, and also lived in areas with students when I was a worker.
Normal people make as much noise as students.
As someone else noted, it's the parking situation that's the problem - not the fact that more people to buy stuff in edinburgh are potentially coming in.
19

SuzieSue,

Nowhere 01/02/2008 15:34:42
Parking in McD Rd is already strained because of speed reducing measures and communal bins. Also it is a permit area and there are not enough spaces for current residents as it is. McD Rd residents are not against students per se only the fact that we have one Unite dev in the middle of the street and one at the other end (old Kwik Fit). Along with 3 other developments due to start. You can kinda see why the residents are concerned. McD Rd used to be a nice street to live in not - like most of Edinburgh now - an eyesore. When are these "developers" going to be made to build in line with the existing buildings. Or is that not cost effective! Lastly, the Unite build itself crams in far too many people and is an accident waiting to happen.
20

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 01/02/2008 15:36:58
Oh my god! Students --- who mainly do not have cars and should in theory be above average intellect and need to concentrate on their studies for most of the time --- are moving in next to some residents who are already there.

Where exactly is the problem? The idea of traffic congestion is rediculous. Would the residents prefer to have low-life drug addict scum move in next to them instead?

The students will leave parked cars alone, will not attempt to break into people's houses, will not intimidate old ladies walking along the road, will not start fights in the street at all hours of the night--- However, they may have the occasioinal party in one of their flats but that is hardly likely to cause alarm to anyone else is it?

Whoever is making this fuss doesn't know what they are talking about---which HAS to be the case if Lazarowicz is involved. He is a passed master in not knowing what he is talking about.
21

Young Bob,

Here 01/02/2008 16:02:53
#16, 17 & 18

It matters not where they come from…

Be it up North…

Or Down South…

Or from further a field…

It is an ongoing bone on contention (even from within the university)that the percentage of local students going to their local University in Edinburgh is ridiculously low.

They have been investigated for this before, and last year there was a report that they are being investigated again.

The reasons are understandable…. Outside fee paying students.

My point is, that this fact, and I’m sorry if rubs anyone up the wrong way but it is a fact is regularly swept under the carpet.

The large extent if not the majority of expense in going to university is accommodation.

The French have a superb system.

Further education is free for them as long as they go to their local college / university.

Many in Edinburgh cannot do this as Edinburgh University is over subscribed with students out with the capital.

Which brings me back to the beginning of the circle…

If we had more local students, logically staying at home for the duration, then there would be less requirement for Student Accommodation for visiting students.

OH AND DON’T JUMP DOWN MY THROAT HERE..

Of course we should have a large number of students who are not local, it’s good for the Capital and good for the University, both financially and in reputation.

However the majority of students should be locally sourced.

It’s only fair.

To strike a cliché…

we pay out taxes to fund these institution so our children can use them.

At present the numbers are simply not fair and equitable.

It’s a reasonable and fair argument.
22

Loki - The Scourge of the Schemies,

EH1 01/02/2008 17:47:57
The objectors are guilty of bloody-minded nimbyism of the most selfish kind!
Their disgraceful protestations should and must be slapped down by the city council. The alternative is to capitulate to nimbyism with the inevitable prospect that ghastly hordes of acne-faced students are suddenly living next door to me!
23

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 01/02/2008 17:48:21
#19 when you say:
'Also it is a permit area and there are not enough spaces for current residents as it is',

surely you mean 'It is a permit area and the residents own too many cars for the spaces available' ?

If people insist having a car & living in or near the city centre, on a bus route with buses every 4 minutes, then they have a cheek to moan about not getting parked.
24

earnabob,

01/02/2008 18:37:52
To Young Boab, if you actually think your taxes pay for the university system these days you obviously failed to notice the constant fundraising they all do.
I agree more people should enter locally, but then if more or even equally qualified students are coming from elsewhere who pay more the University would be incredibly stupid not to want them wouldn't it.
Yes further education is a business as you said and if it wasn't - the country couldn't afford to pay for it the way it's set up.
Yes if less students came from elsewhere less accomodation would be needed, but then large developers would still put up monstrosities which would probably end up housing someone else the locals didn't like.
In my years all I've ever heard about any large development is that it will ruin the area - if people don't want change they must want to live in stagnation which is worse.
Just to note the French system you like so much is probably being decommisioned very soon as it is too unwieldy and starting to fall apart - not the best comparison to make.
25

Dismayed Old Soldier,

celle 01/02/2008 19:27:46
What really worries me are the no doubt honest questions and comments about students returning from night clubs and pubs!. These young people ,subsidised by you and me, should not have enough money and time to spend in pubs and nightclubs. They are privileged already and should be in their DIGs working for their future not having surplus money from our taxes to spend in drinking. Come on, let us get back to real standards. If they kick upa fuss put them before the magistrate as in days of yore,even in the stocks, and let those who have paid for their abodes live in peace. Decent students should not be categorised with those who just want to play,drink,and make hayhem whilst I as a pensioner give them their drink money. Come on let us get our npriorities right.!
26

Links Green,

Cloud 7 01/02/2008 19:50:01
I say lets have more purpose built student accommodation. It'll make it less likely that any will move into my stair!
27

Young Gordon,

The Shore 01/02/2008 20:36:50
Hear hear #19 Suzie!

Thanks for sticking to the subject of the article, and not digressing into the politics of education like so many here. Where are the local Uni's in Leith Area anyway?

No one else seems to appreciate the once beauty of this road, and the FACT that HALF of it is already taken up by sidings specially for communal bins and trees! And too many beds for such a small location!

Q: what other 3 dev's are going in?
28

SuzieSue,

Nowhere 04/02/2008 17:05:30
23 Road Rage

"The residents own too many cars for the spaces available" Your argument may have merit if the parking permits were introduced before the residents. Alas that was not quite the case...

28 Young Gordon

The other devs in the pipeline are the two empty buildings opposite (the old) Martin & Frost (I think they were stationers and printers) and the fire station. All three will be eyesores, sorry flats, in the blink of an eye.

 

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