Empty Edinburgh call centre to make way for student accommodation complex and flats

A major residential development is planned at Finance House.

An empty Edinburgh call centre could become hundreds of student rooms and 65 flats under fresh plans.

Finance House on Orchard Brae has been the subject of plans for residential developments before but the ground has never been broken.

The building, constructed in the 1960s and used by Lloyd Bank for several years, is currently earmarked for demolition and developers say they will knock down a rear extension and replace it with the apartments.

Fresh plans have been unveiled for Finance House

Meanwhile, Edinburgh firm Square and Crescent plans to use the main building for 301 student bedrooms.

Coworking spaces also feature in the latest proposals sent to to the city council following a pre-application notice at the start of the year.

In a planning statement, consultant Scott Hobbs wrote: “The proposed development will deliver 65 units of much-needed housing and office/co-working floorspace and 301 beds of much-needed student accommodation.

“The proposed development is in a central, accessibly, highly sustainable location.

“The delivery of a residential-led development on this site complies with the policies in the National Planning Framework 4 and Edinburgh Local Development Plan 2016.

“The development further responds directly to the housing and student homelessness crises.”