Revised proposals aim to replace a popular sports bar with student flats after flooding fears halted previous plans
Edinburgh: So, there’s some buzz about the Murrayfield Sports Bar. The plans to tear it down for student flats are back on the table after the last ones got shot down.
Last year, the Scottish Government said no to the idea because of flooding worries. Plus, locals thought cramming in 87 student apartments was just too much for the neighborhood.
Now, the developers are back with a new plan. They want to build 80 student beds instead, along with some nice green spaces at 20 Westfield Road.
Some folks from the Gorgie and Dalry Community Council are saying the area is already packed with student housing. They’re not too keen on adding more.
Even independent councillor Ross McKenzie thinks there’s been too much student accommodation approved lately without really looking into it. He’s all for keeping an eye on these developments.
The developers claim their new plans will tackle the flooding issues that caused the last proposal to flop. They’re saying there aren’t any other reasons to refuse this time around.
The new design features a six-storey building with 80 student beds, including cluster flats and studios. They’ve even come up with a new escape route in case of flooding, leading to higher ground.
Cllr McKenzie is pretty pleased that the previous appeal got turned down. He’s been pushing for more scrutiny on these developments, especially when local voices are against them.
He hopes this outcome shows residents that their opinions on planning matters really do count. The council will take another look at the plans soon, so we’ll see what happens next.
