Edinburgh housing: Residents slam Tynecastle High School student flats plan approval as a 'complete joke'

Edinburgh residents have hit back at decision to grant permission for student flats at the former Tynecastle High school branding it a ‘complete joke’.

The decision to green-light plans for the old Tynecastle High School to be turned into a 468 bed block of student flats has prompted a backlash among campaigners and community figures who say locals have been ignored.

Approval was granted on appeal to S1 Developments by Government appointed Scottish Housing Reporter after city councillors rejected the proposals in September, citing strong community concerns including saturation of student flats in the area. Campaigners say the student flats will be unaffordable even for students and that the government’s decision has made the planning process into a ‘laughing stock’.

The Reporter said a mainstream housing development would be 'constrained' by nearby listed buildings and identified the site as more suitable for purpose built student accommodation stating students would only spend part of the year in residence.

Impression of the student flats planned for the site

But councillor Ross McKenzie said if guidance had been enforced on mainstream development alternatives would have come forward. He said: "The community has been ignored, planning guidance has been ignored and the developers will be laughing all the way to the bank. It's sickening. It only became developable fairly recently so I don't accept that alternatives wouldn't have come forward. A PBSA of this size should include 50 per cent mainstream residential housing. If there was the will to enforce that guidance then developers would bring forward appropriate plans."

Tenant Union Living Rent led the fight against the student flats proposals and called for more social and affordable homes instead. Backed by local councillors they also claimed it was “irresponsible” to house over 400 students on a site deemed unsuitable for mainstream housing due to noise levels from the nearby distillery.

A spokesperson for Living Rent said: “The fact that we can go through the proper processes, win and then still be overruled makes a complete joke of the planning system, and of the idea that the Scottish government represents our interests. It is completely undemocratic to ignore the decision at the council sub-committee level and the community.

"As a branch we have been campaigning against this development for years and it is so clear that public sentiment against it is really strong. Gorgie needs better options - for students and other local residents. We need to prioritise actually affordable housing over expensive PBSA”

Plans to build student flats approved on appeal

The old school site on McLeod Street at the back of Hearts’ Tynecastle Stadium has been empty since the school move to new facilities in January 2010 at the top of the street on the corner with Gorgie Road. Giving the go-ahead for the plans the Reporter said the student population would be approximately 24 per cent and therefore not lead to an ‘overly concentrated’ student population in the area.

Campaigners and councillors have argued that Gorgie and Dalry area has the fourth highest number of student beds in Scotland and it's claimed this is putting pressure on local services, including GP surgeries and schools.