New Waverley is the £240 million city centre regeneration project in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town which has transformed an important part of the city’s east end into a vibrant and thriving area.

This latest proposal means that investment can still go ahead to help complete the development with a shift to provide much needed housing for the 75K+ students the city attracts.

A full public consultation will be carried out as part of the proposals with two events being held in the iconic Scottish Story Telling Centre in the City’s High Street, withh the first being held on Wednesday the 17th of May and with the second event taking place on Monday the 19th of June. Both events run from 2-7pm. A planning application will be submitted in due course.

Vita Student said it sees the creation of new PBSA as vital for the realisation of the city’s ambitions for a knowledge-based economy as set out in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Commenting on the proposals, James Rooke, head of planning at Vita Group, said: “We know that so much of Edinburgh’s success is based on attracting and retaining students that help power the city’s success. The site at New Waverley North will support around three hundred students on site and between five to ten affordable homes.

“We do realise that Student Accommodation can be controversial in Edinburgh, but students are the building blocks of a knowledge economy and Edinburgh is well placed achieve its ambitions to become a ‘Data Capital’. However, the city needs more, better and a wider range of student accommodation for that to happen. New Waverley North is well placed to contribute to Edinburgh’s success.

“We look forward to the consultation with the local community and to discussing the proposals with local stakeholders.”