Plans announced for Gorgie student accomodation

A massive development of student flats is set to be built in the heart of Gorgie, as Edinburgh’s student accommodation sector continues to boom.

Last week, Chamic Estates announced plans to construct three buildings on Gorgie Road of between four and six storeys tall. The development aims to provide 330 student bedrooms, whilst also providing two commercial units on the ground floor.

The site currently houses a number of small industrial buildings, including a veterinary surgery. The announcement follows a recent report by Edinburgh City Council which showed that one in eight people living in Edinburgh is a student, making the capital’s student accommodation market particularly lucrative.

Student accommodation giant UNITE has opened five new residences across the city in as many years. Ziggurat Student Living, a new company run by two former directors of UNITE, is currently preparing to open its first residence in Edinburgh on the Cowgate in time for the next academic year.

They have also secured a further property in Sciennes, currently leased to the University of Edinburgh, for development in 2012 and have said they will be targeting another eight to 10 sites over the next two years. Co-founder Matthew McAdden said that funding cuts will mean universities increasingly look to the private sector to provide accommodation.

Speaking to The Journal, Ashley Gibbons, UNITE’s operations manager for Edinburgh, said: “We believe the increase in this market is due to investors’ confidence in the growth and stability of the student property business as well as the stability of land prices within the city.

“There is still a marked supply/demand imbalance across the whole of the UK in student accommodation, and while the longer term level of student numbers is unlikely to grow as it has in the last 10 years, many universities will look to manage their accommodation needs differently in future.”

Student accommodation developments are notoriously unpopular among local communities as it is feared that ‘studentification’ makes residential areas unsightly and leaves the neighbourhood deserted during summer months.

Chamic Estates held a public consultation last week to discuss their development with the community but feedback is not yet available. Mr Gibbons said: “We have always held local community meetings prior to the opening of a new property to reassure our new neighbours and listen to their concerns. This relationship is further developed after opening with annual community meetings.

“We have not had any significant opposition to the opening of our new properties, and tend to find that we can work with local groups to address any issues they may have.”