Edinburgh housing: Residents hit out over student flats plans for 'quiet' Gillespie Crescent in Bruntsfield

Residents said the development would be at the ‘expense of ordinary people’ in the community.

Local residents are ‘deeply upset’ about plans to redevelop the site of a charity’s former HQ in Bruntsfield into student accommodation.

If approved, proposals will see a historic, vacant building on Gillespie Crescent demolished to make way for purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) with a cinema and gym. Jmarchitects have developed detailed proposals for the site, which require the demolition of an unlisted stone structure within the Marchmont, Meadows and Bruntsfield Conservation Area.

Plans submitted by S Harrison Developments and national charity Sight Scotland include erection of a 145-bedroom building with facilities including a cinema ‘multimedia room’, gym and cycle parking provision. But residents claim student housing is ‘getting out of hand’ and want the building to be used for the benefit of the wider community.

Chris Traynor and his mum, Eveline

Chris Traynor, from the local residents’ association, said: “We live right opposite the site and didn't get notice of the proposed demolition of the building. The plans omit a key concern for us, which is that this significant building in a conservation area will be demolished. The first priority should be to retain and reuse the building for wider community use. Student accommodation is getting out of hand now.

"Across the road there's sheltered housing with more than 160 older people. It’s a quiet, protected street. Many of them have told us that they are worried about the noise and disruption. They don’t have a voice and won’t be able to add objections to the council's online planning portal. But these are people with support needs, some have alzheimers and are clearly distressed about the plans.”

Mr Traynor, an Honours student, added: "We keep hearing about the demand for student housing. This would be a huge development. There are already many students in this area living in the tenement flats. They are not suddenly going to move out into more expensive, high end flats. So it’s a fallacy to say it will somehow free up housing.”

A previous bid to demolish the building was refused in 2020 on the grounds that the building makes a ‘positive contribution to the character of the Conservation Area’ and demolition of the existing building ‘wasn’t justified’. The residents’ association complained about ‘misleading’ changes to the planning application, which removed reference to the demolition of the existing building. In response to the complaints the date for public to comment on the plans has been extended to December 15.

Eveline Traynor, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years, said: “The charity said they’d benefit from the sale of the building. But it will be at the expense of ordinary people who live in the tenements and homes on this and surrounding streets. That can’t be overlooked. I am deeply upset about this. We are custodians and need to protect all that makes this area good to live in. I will do everything in my power to save this piece of local heritage and protect its legacy for all the families who live here. We can’t let it fall prey to developers looking to make a fast buck.”

A spokesperson for S Harrison Developments said: “We have been made aware of some local concerns relating to the demolition of the building on Gillespie Crescent due to apparent architectural merits. It should be noted that HES have ‘not judged its contribution as significant, largely due to its small scale, discreet siting and date – it is an inter-war building in an area that is predominantly Victorian in character.

“Demolition of the building will be progressed in a sensitive manner, with a demolition plan and construction management plan restricting, for example, access and hours of operation. This is the nature of any development undertaken on brownfield sites in a residential area. As outlined in our planning application, it is our intention to reuse materials arising from the demolition of the building as far as is possible.

“The funds released by the sale of the site will enable Sight Scotland, a charity dedicated to meeting the challenges of visual impairment, to further expand its reach, and support even more people living with sight loss within existing services such as the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh. Development of the site will serve to address a well-recognised shortfall in student accommodation in the city, with a student homelessness crisis recognised by the Council in June 2023.