Sungate Ventures Ltd and Viridis Real Estate have submitted proposals for a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development in Edinburgh, Scotland. Ahead of submission, the scheme was presented and reviewed at two pre-application meetings with City of Edinburgh Planning Officers.
Designed by RKA Architectural Design Studio, the new proposal aims to develop two lower ground floors and a five storey PBSA scheme comprising 134 student beds and wheelchair-accessible accommodation, 10% of which will be studios.
Internal student amenity space is distributed throughout three floors on the ground and lower ground levels. Amenities include communal kitchens, living areas, post and parcel areas and secure cycle storage.
The main entrance to the building is located on West Park Place, which includes a reception area, parcel store and student communal area, with a view through to the rear garden.
The new ground floor external amenity space provides a high-quality accessible external area, which is south west facing. An enclosed sunken courtyard on the lower ground provides external amenity, which works in tandem with the student amenity areas on the lower floors. No car parking is proposed within the scheme, encouraging active transport methods.
Located to the west of the city centre on West Park Place, in proximity to Haymarket station, the surrounding area features commercial use at ground floor along Dalry Road and predominantly residential and student residential use in the surrounding streets.
The wider design team includes CBRE as Planning Consultant, Harley Haddow as Structural Engineer, Re-form as Landscape Architect and Hollis as Daylight/Sunlight Consultant.
