Student flats developer makes community pledge as work starts on new Edinburgh scheme
Work is set to kick off on a multi-million-pound scheme in a conservation area of Edinburgh to provide the city with yet more student accommodation.
The move follows the appointment of a contractor to build the new student flats just off Newington Road in the southside of the capital, with work due to start later this month. The development, on East Newington Place, will see a disused commercial unit demolished and replaced with an “energy-efficient” four-storey building featuring 65 studio rooms. There will also be a “multimedia room”, gym, break out space, cycle storage and open courtyard.
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Hide AdProperty development company S Harrison has appointed Scottish construction firm Thomas Johnstone as the building contractor for the scheme.


David Clancy from S Harrison said: “We’re very pleased to appoint a reputable and longstanding local contractor on this project, which will give a brownfield site in a popular conservation area a new lease of life. We’re now looking forward to work starting in June and we’ll continue to work closely with the local community throughout the project to maintain and build on the strong relationships that we worked hard to forge throughout the planning process.”
Earlier this year, S Harrison agreed a forward funding deal with Singapore-headquartered Q Investment Partners (QIP) to deliver the East Newington Place scheme, along with a second 76-bedroom student development in the historic surroundings of the Canongate, just off the Royal Mile, which will complete in time for the start of the 2026 academic year. S Harrison has delivered a string of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) schemes in Edinburgh, York and Leeds totalling thousands of bedrooms.
In addition, Edinburgh’s planning committee recently confirmed that it is minded to grant planning consent for a major new £80 million mixed-use development in a prime waterfront location in Leith. The development, known as Ocean Point 2, will comprise residential and PBSA, along with commercial, co-working and amenity space.
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Hide AdStudent accommodation has been one of the most active areas of the commercial property sector in recent years. Despite concerns that some areas of both Edinburgh and Glasgow are becoming overrun, there remains an undersupply of dedicated, new-build flats.
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