Developer wins appeal for Edinburgh student housing project.

The Scottish Government has ruled in favour of a proposed student accommodation project in Edinburgh following a developer’s appeal against the local authority’s delay in making a decision.

83S Student Residence Limited sought planning permission to construct a 138-bedroom development at the junction of Willowbrae Road and Northfield Drive. The site, previously occupied by The Right Wing pub, had initial approval for 48 residential units in a crescent shape before the shift towards student housing.

The developer, 83S Student Residence, presented plans by One Foot Square and KED Properties and appealed against the City of Edinburgh Council’s inaction on their application. The design includes five flats with access through a common lobby and stairwell connected to the existing main entrance, while the remaining four flats are accessible through secondary stairwells in the front wings of the building.

Keith Bray, a reporter for the Scottish Government, upheld the developer’s appeal, granting permission for the project. Despite receiving 57 supportive comments and 128 objections in the previous year, Bray highlighted the flexibility of the construction for future residential use and noted the design’s compliance with planning policies.

Mr. Bray emphasised that the proposed development aligns with the relevant provisions of the development plan and does not encounter any significant obstacles that would warrant a refusal of planning permission. The developer and One Foot Square expressed their commitment to maintaining the original ‘crescent’ design for the upcoming PBSA development in Edinburgh.

The application outlined, “The proposed PBSA application retains the design elements and spirit of the approved scheme, meeting the standards for design, scale, height, and density. The crescent pattern of the building follows the street line but is set back with enclosed spaces creating a buffer zone between the building and the pavement. This buffer extends as a light well to the north, providing natural light to the studios at the Lower Ground Floor level.”