Planners over-ruled as bid for student flats thrown out

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a £22 million student flats development which attracted scores of objections have been thrown out by councillors.

Developers had wanted to build four new buildings with 295 student bedrooms on the site of a former furniture showroom on McDonald Road.

Council planning officers had recommended approval for the project, but more than 120 residents complained amid concerns that an influx of students would lead to an increase in late-night noise.

Despite the recommendations that the scheme be approved, the council's planning committee voted against the proposals during a meeting on Wednesday.

Residents who were attending the meeting applauded from the public gallery when the decision was made.

Councillor Angela Blacklock, who represents Leith Walk, said a surge in the number of students coming into the area could upset the "delicate balance" of community relations.

She said: "It's not that we're against student accommodation, but we really think it's difficult for this area to accommodate more students.

"There's a delicate balance. Crime figures are not that high but that could change. Many local residents have come to me who are really concerned about this development."

During the meeting, councillors gave the go-ahead for another student halls complex on Leith Walk.

The £11m development will be built on the site of the council's former social work headquarters at Shrubhill House.

The meeting heard from council planning officers that if all the current proposed developments had gone ahead, students would make up more than 11 per cent of the population of Leith – higher than the average figure for elsewhere in the Capital.

Councillor Lesley Hinds said planners should try and spread student housing out across the city.

She said: "We've got so many objections to this. There have been over 100 objections – it's not about being against students, it's about getting the right balance in the community.

"The development is not wanted in the area. We should be trying to balance up student accommodation in areas of the city that don't have it."

The Unite Group, which is the UK's biggest student landlord, is the developer behind the McDonald Road project.

Jim Pike, acquisition and development director, said it was waiting to hear the committee's reasons for turning down the application before deciding on the best way forward.

He added: "We will continue to work closely with Edinburgh City Council and the local community to ensure any decision made by Unite is in the best interests of the local area."

The proposals for the site of the former Martin & Frost showroom had included 65 student flats in a mix of four and five-bed clusters.

Planning officers said the accommodation would relieve pressure on the general housing stock in Edinburgh.

But Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz was among those who objected to the scheme.

He had urged the city council to listen to the views of local residents.

• www.unite-group.co.uk