Residents in Edinburgh’s New Town are fighting back against plans for a new development, including hundreds of student flats and luxury apartments, on the site of a former bank. The former Royal Bank of Scotland building on Dundas Street was demolished in 2022 after lying empty for four years.
Plans submitted to Edinburgh Council for redeveloping the site have changed over time. The latest planning application from Ediston Real Estate for a mixed-use development, known as the New Town Quarter, has been recommended for approval.
The proposal for the modern-style buildings includes 207 private residential homes, 108 affordable mid-market homes and 591 student beds, as well as commercial and office space, landscaped areas and parking.
However, around 400 locals have submitted letters of objection to the plans, with their concerns ranging from increased demand on services such as GP surgeries to noise and overpopulation.
Developers Ediston previously pledged to create “one of the best places to live and visit” in the capital, and have since addressed concerns.
Edinburgh Live spoke to residents in the surrounding streets about their reasons for objecting, as a hearing for the application approaches on December 17.
Images submitted to the council showing part of what the proposed development could look like. -Credit:MLA Architects
Robert Cole, 63, said: “I was concerned about student accommodation over there. I feel that there’s enough student accommodation around town, and really wanted to have more affordable housing. So that was the key thing.
“I think that also during the summer, they’re likely to be renting those out for holiday accommodation, so then there’s potential for noise.
“The whole scale of it is really out of proportion to the area as well. There’s a lot of concern here about the impact on the park because it’s going be such a high building and it’s going to block sunlight at the park, particularly this time of year.”
Just along the road, geologist Niko Kampman and Gui Shi Young, who works for an environmental agency, live with their young daughter.
They shared many of the same concerns, including potential consequences for the nearby George V Park.
Gui Shi, 41, explained: “From talking to our neighbours, I think people have objected to this with their heads and their hearts.
“There’s the rational things like considering the impact on GPs and infrastructure, but people also feel really strongly about things like the park, because it has been like a little oasis for people here.”
Niko, 43, added: “The local amenities are already quite stretched, the health centre in particular. It’s been difficult for people to register there or get an appointment. We think introducing a large number of students would only stretch what is already there even more.
“Parking is also a concern, it’s already a really big issue around here. There is some parking included in the plans, but we’re also worried about it becoming even more difficult to get a space in the street.
“The other big thing is that the developers have effectively seen the park as part of the development.
“There have already been quite a lot of changes made to the park. They’ve cut down a lot of mature trees, and are planning to integrate it by putting in an access route from the surrounding streets into the development.
“All of that has ended up having a really big impact on the character of the park and how locals can use it, it was previously very quiet and secluded, people enjoyed it, but now it has changed so much.”
The former RBS building during demolition works in 2022. -Credit:Google maps
On the opposite side of the former RBS site, residents from the Fettes Row and Royal Crescent Association have been vocal in their objections. Their homes directly overlook the site, with the plans including building entrance bridges from points along the street into the new development, which they are worried will increase foot traffic and noise.
Their main concern is the large number of people who will move into the area, putting pressure on infrastructure, but the majority being students who will vacate their flats and let them out over the summer.
Another fear is that if student numbers fall and the block’s occupancy is reduced, it will be difficult to convert it into permanent housing.
Secretary Karen Licurse said on behalf of the association: “We feel like the new plans are just packing people in, in a number that is just not feasible for the area to handle, particularly since there’s no provision for additional GP services, additional buses; nothing like that seems to have been taken into consideration.
“We’re not against student housing in principle, but we believe there are far too many flats for that site to be able to handle.
“The height of the building facing us would also be higher than what was originally proposed, and with it already being a modern block, it’s not in keeping with that of the New Town Conservation Area or the World Heritage Site.”
She added: “None of us want to stare at an urban wasteland, which is what it is right now. It’s a horrible thing to look out on, we want something built there, but we believe that this isn’t the right solution, to just pack hundreds or thousands of people in there without thinking about the bigger picture.
“It’s a large space. We want it to be built on, but we just want it developed in a way that’s best for the city and best for the people that live around it.”
The plans include roof terraces and balconies, but concerns have been raised they will also be a source of noise. -Credit:MLA Architects
Colin Williamson agreed that he was not against student accommodation being built, but didn’t believe it was the right addition to the area.
He said: “Students are, of course, welcome, but everybody seems to be trying to build student accommodation, because clearly it’s where you can make some money, and it is threatening to distort the character of the area.”
“Developers are just trying to put these up, and they’re by and large not appropriate. There’s a massive site there, and really, do you want that full of student accommodation? It’s also not particularly close to the main centres of education.”
Retired property manager Sarah, 69, said: “It seemed to me like this was a quick way to make money, to build student accommodation rather than actually deal with some of the problems that we have in Edinburgh, which is affordable accommodation for young people once they leave university and are looking for jobs.
“I also think it’s a shame to develop it so much, we need as much open space, green space as possible and a lot of people are going be living down there. I don’t want it to turn into a concrete jungle.”
Ediston said in a summary of the development: “The multi-tenure nature of the site will bring together a diverse group of people, in keeping with the Council’s aspirations for sustainable city centre living, and provides much needed homes.
“These homes will provide for private residents, students and, most importantly, affordable homes (owned and managed by a Registered Social Landlord). We are very proud to confirm the affordable building will be the first of its kind delivered in the New Town.”
In response to concerns put to him, Ross McNulty, Director at Ediston, told Edinburgh Live: “This is the biggest housing development in the city centre in many years and will provide some of the best new affordable homes and homes for sale anywhere in Scotland.
“In addition, it will provide managed accommodation for students living in flats, which can free up residential stock for families to live in. The quality of these proposals – a third of which is useable open space, will make one of the best areas of the city even better.”
He stated that the number of proposed student beds complies with the National Planning Policy, and that recent figures from Edinburgh University show there is an ongoing need for student accommodation in the capital.
All buildings will be the same height as what is already there, except for one planned to be eight inches taller. The development will also be covered by a tree management plan, with 102 new trees set to be planted, and will facilitate improvements and investment into George V Park.
He added that they had liaised with the NHS to explore the possibility of making an existing GP surgery bigger or build a new facility, but neither option could be supported.