Edinburgh student accommodation plan for former Barrel House Bar and Grill

The site of a former capital pub could be demolished to make way for more student accommodation, as the developer has been granted permission to undertake a consultation with local residents.

Student accommodation plan for the former Barrel House Bar and Grill

London-based student accommodation developers Alumno Group are set to launch a public consultation regarding a plot of land at the junction of London Road, Restalrig Road South, Portobello Road and Willowbrae Road - the current site of the recently-closed Barrel House Bar and Grill.

At the beginning of December, the owners of the Barrel House were forced to sell off the majority of the bar’s contents in order to pay bills and wages.

The proposed site also includes the now closed Tyre Trax on London Road, and the adjacent Qasheez Takeaway.

No detailed plans have been published, as the consultation is being undertaken ahead of a planning application being sent to Edinburgh City Council, but the consultation indicates the ground floor of the development will be given over to business units.

The developer’s main approach will be via an online consultation, including a live stream where members of the development team will be available to answer questions from residents, which is set to take place in February 2021 on a dedicated website.

The consultation has been approved by council planners, on the condition the developer publish details of the time and date of the event, as well as the address of the website.

The planned development of more student accommodation in the capital is expected to prompt further criticism amid controversy over the number of similar proposals across the city.

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