A plan to demolish a former "lads’ institute" to make way for student flats at a historic site has been lodged.
The proposal is for the demolition of an existing office and garage site comprising and the construction of a six-storey purpose-built student residential development with 59 rooms.
SDR Property Developments Ltd with Kenneth Reid Architects has submitted the application for the Ratcliffe Terrace site in the Scottish capital.
It involves the demolition of a three-story building designed by John Duncan MacLeod and Victor James de Spiganovicz and built around 1907 as the Causwayside Lads' Institute, seen below.
The statement said: "The site itself is anomalous being a three-storey detached building presented to the street, with light industrial on one side (and to the rear) and car parking on the south side.
"Effectively a gap in the predominantly residential tenement form on the rest of Ratcliffe Terrace."
READ MORE: Plans for 595 new city centre homes approved
It continued: "The concept is to deliver student residential, which remains a much needed commodity in Edinburgh, on this narrow site which adds to the streetscape with the understanding that the light industrial/car parking uses either side will in the future be taken for residential.
“The narrow site is developed as a courtyard form of two blocks connected by a glazed bridge from first floor level, fronted by a tenement form, which sits within the envisaged future townscape."
READ MORE: Plan to demolish popular pub to make way for student flats refused
The site is also of historic interest.
John Lawson, council archaeologist, said: "The site occurs on the one of the main medieval routes into Edinburgh’s medieval town from the South via Liberton and entering Edinburgh via the medieval Portsburgh suburb and Bristo Port.
"This area began to be developed during the 18th century with Kirkwood’s 1817 map showing the site occupied by a Georgian property owned by a Mr Christie. This building survives into the 4th Quarter of the 19th century when it is replaced by what appear to be small workshops/ industrial units coinciding with the expansion of Victorian industry."
READ MORE: 300 student apartments planned for former tech giant site
He also said: "The current commercial and garages may in part date to this period though also reflect early 20th century development of the site.
"The current buildings and garages occupying the site date to the 20th century but are likely to contain evidence of their 19th century predecessors.
"Although unlisted, given they are regarded as being of local archaeological significance in terms of the industrial development of this section of Edinburgh.
"It is recommended therefore, that as part of the overall archaeological programme of works that it a detailed historic building survey is undertaken prior to and during demolition works."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel