Edinburgh locals object as plans to extend student accommodation site submitted

Edinburgh locals have raised their concerns over plans to extend a student accommodation site.

Plans to extend the Shrubhill House student accommodation, just off Leith Walk at 8 Middlefield, have been submitted to Edinburgh Council after previous plans to adapt the site were refused in 2023 in relation to daylighting.

However, the developers, Unite Group, noted that previous plans to extend further the site had been approved in 2016 but had since expired.

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According to the plans submitted by Unite Group, 20 new bed spaces would be built as part of the extension and plans have been revised to ensure the extension's height would be lowered. However, 27 objections to the proposal have been submitted.

The existing student accommodation currently contains 260 bedrooms. The extension would see studio flats arranged over each of the five floors within the building. Residents would have an en-suite, a private and a kitchenette in their flats. There would also be an additional escape stair.

To accommodate the extra residents, a extra cycle storage would be built and would be broken up into three sections, each having the space to hold 10 bikes. The plans also state they would create a private garden with trees, lower level planting and add extra seating around the site.

The residents would also make use of a roof terrace.

You can see more information here and residents have until June 26 to submit a comment on the planning portal website here.

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