Leith Central Community Council has now agreed its final position on Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) developments.
Leith already has two-thirds of all PBSA beds in Edinburgh – 6,332 out of 9,873 citywide. Despite this, developers keep proposing more blocks, even though Leith has no university campus and our area gains little direct benefit.
We believe further PBSA expansion:
– takes up land that should be used for affordable homes for families and key workers
– adds pressure on local transport, health services and infrastructure
– undermines community balance and diversity
– conflicts with Edinburgh’s wider housing strategy
Leith is proud to welcome students as part of our diverse community, but the scale of PBSA development is now out of proportion and unsustainable.
LCCC is calling for a moratorium on any new PBSA developments in Leith.
We want future developments to focus instead on affordable, family-friendly and mixed-use housing that supports long-term residents and the local economy.
We’ll continue to work with other community councils, housing organisations and Edinburgh Council to make sure Leith’s voice is heard as part of the city’s Local Housing Strategy and upcoming planning guidance on student accommodation.
You can read our full position paper here 
https://tinyurl.com/jvntj3cm