The 76-bed building – which will include office space on the ground floor – will be built on London Road and will join a neighbouring block, also being undertaken by HG Developments.
The latest development will replace an existing car wash and will see the delivery of a six-storey block, predominantly in brick, on the corner site.
The planning application was progressed after the site was re-marketed when a previous residential development consent could not be progressed due to it not being possible to build over a sewer present at the site.
London Road is a major thoroughfare in the city, served by bus routes including ones that directly serve university and college campuses and facilities.
A spokesperson for HG Developments said: “Given the high sustainability of the location there is no requirement for car parking spaces beyond those for the City Car club and disabled spaces, and we are ensuring that there is excellent provision of bicycle spaces.
“The development also serves to address the increasing demand for student accommodation, fulfilling the ambitious growth plans of universities in the city, which are key drivers of the economy. This also helps to reduce pressure on the private housing market as well as delivering a substantial amount in additional expenditure into the local economy.”
On completion, Edinburgh based charity People Know How will its headquarters on the ground floor of 61-63 London Road. Glenn Liddall, chief executive of People Know How said: “As a large number of students routinely work with us by way of volunteering, internships and placements we are in the enviable position of being able to establish a positive relationship with students in the building, who can support us in our work, which will also benefit them; and engage them in the local area.”
Architects 3DReid worked on the scheme and the planning consultant was Turley.
Ruta Turcinaviciute, project designer for 3DReid, commented: “The proposed scheme marks an important moment for the future redevelopment of a constrained and complicated site, which will benefit the urban quality of London Road and represent a further contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the wider area.
“The proposed building seeks to address the prominent corner of the site, to its eastern approach, while the material and language of the building follows the emerging palette of the new developments currently proposed in the area, in addition to responding to the tones of the more historic tenements that form the wider context.”
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