Iconic Edinburgh bingo hall to be transformed into massive block of student flats
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Plans to transform a former Edinburgh bingo hall into hundreds of student flats are set to be granted.
The proposals were submitted in March 2024 to turn the former Club 3000 Bingo Hall at 26 Manderston Street in Leith into a student housing complex comprising 200 beds.
The building was formerly known as a Mecca Bingo Hall and the Leith Capitol Theatre and Cinema. The plans to transform the site are set to be discussed among councillors next week.
The agenda for Wednesday's development management sub committee meeting shows planning officers have recommended the proposals be granted, subject to a detailed presentation.
They say the size and scale of the development would not have a detrimental impact on the area and would instead retain the historic building and its character.
The site is located through a railway arch within the former viaduct that supported the railway and bridge of the Leith Walk West Goods Yard.
The development would see external alterations and the conversion of the bingo hall to support student accommodation. It is also proposed to add a new build extension to the southeast.
The railway archway would be refurbished to form a cycle store and a landscaped amenity courtyard and roof terrace would also be built. The proposal amounts to 200 managed student beds.
This includes 190 cluster units and ten studios. CGI images were previously uploaded of the six-storey development with a roof terrace which have since been updated on behalf the applicant.
Justifying the recommendation to grant consent, officers wrote: "In terms of its positioning, height, scale and form, the existing building and its proposed extensions would not have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area.
"The proposal would retain the historic building and although several extensions are proposed, these would not harm the character and appearance of the conservation area. The principle of developing student accommodation on part of an allocated site instead of the delivery of housing to satisfy the requirements of LDP policy Hou 1 and H42 of the LDP is not considered to be consistent with the overall strategy of the Local Development Plan.
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"When the proposals are considered against the student housing policy (Hou 5) the proposed development is considered acceptable.
"Overall, the proposal does not accord with the aim of providing mainstream housing on the site, however in this case when considering the inclusion of the building within the conservation area, student accommodation is acceptable."
The application received 31 objections and 21 comments in support of the development. It is set to be discussed on Wednesday, June, 25.
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