Edinburgh housing: Plans to turn offices into 'major' development of student flats

Offices on the outskirts of the city are set to be turned into a 'major' student accommodation development.

Proposals have been submitted for two office buildings on Calder Road to be partly demolished for student flats and offices, including 384 cluster bedrooms and 44 studios. The proposals were put forward by Scott Hobbs Planning on behalf of the site owners.

Hamcap (Pentland Gait) Limited has completed a public consultation on plans for the partial demolition of the office pavilions of Heriot House and Currie House and the redevelopment of the site. Offices at 595 and 597 Calder Road would make way for a mixed-use development including the large-scale purpose-built student accommodation and office floorspace.

The site is located on the western edge of the city at the junction off Calder Road with the City Bypass, about a ten minute walk from Napier University Sighthill campus.

Developers cited the proximity of Heriot-Watt University, which has over 20,000 students, and the Sighthill campus of Edinburgh Napier University, where there are 5,000 students and staff.

A planning application notice was validated by the council in November and a report submitted in January, following two public consultation events.

The description on the application reads: "Proposed partial demolition of the existing office pavilions (Herriot House and Currie House) and redevelopment of site as mixed-use development including purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) and office floorspace (Class 4)."