200 homes to be built on campus uture of historic campus

At least six new blocks of housing are earmarked for Edinburgh Napier’s historic Craighouse site, which was sold to a consortium of developers for £10 million.

More than half the homes planned on the £50 million development will be located in the new properties, which are expected to be opposed by local community groups fearing over-development of the site and a massive influx of extra traffic.

It is hoped work will get under way shortly after the last students vacate the site in 2013, and last for up to four years.

Developer Mountgrange, which was previously involved with the doomed Caltongate development in Edinburgh’s Old Town, joined forces with Sundial Properties in March this year to snap up the site, which dates back to the 16th century.

The consortium said it had considered converting the site to become a new care home or luxury hotel, but it had been unable to make an “viable economic case” for either option.

The most controversial element of the scheme is likely to be the building of a block of two-storey flats in a car park in front of the listed buildings. Three and four-storey flats are to be built at the rear of the existing site. Up to 90 homes will be created in the existing buildings.

In the publicity material produced for an exhibition in the area, the developers insist a residential development will provide the best long-term future for the seven listed buildings on the site, as well as ensure public access to its extensive grounds is maintained.

It states: “Although the housing market is depressed, the regeneration of Craighouse is a long-term prospect.

“The university intends to decant in phases, which allows a gradual transition, which in turn allows us to achieve, over time, the highest quality residential development within this unique and inspiring setting, attractive to new and existing neighbouring residents.”

William Gray Muir, managing director of Sundial, said: “The fact is that there have been a number of failed institutional occupations of this and the university has simply found the running costs too high despite spending a huge amount of money on a restoration 15 years ago.

“We know there are concerns about the future of the site and the fact that new buildings are being proposed, but we are confident we have found the right answer that addresses all the issues, including maintaining public access.”

He said the Craighouse development was a different proposition from the proposed conversion of Donaldson’s School for the Deaf in Edinburgh, which was put on hold after developers won permission to build new homes and convert the existing listed building. “The existing listing buildings were designed for residential use and are not as difficult to convert as the site at Donaldson’s. This is an entirely different proposition,” Mr Gray Muir said.

The university, which is relocating staff and students to its expanded campus at Sighthill, has retained a major financial interest in the Craighouse development and will be jointly applying with the consortium for planning permission.

Marion Williams, director of the Cockburn Association, Edinburgh’s main heritage watchdog, said: “People are very worried about what is being proposed, although we are still waiting on the fine detail of these new buildings. People are anxious about over-development.”