Plans to demolish a city pub to create student flats have been recommended for approval.

The move involves building an 87-bed student accommodation complex on the site of the Murrayfield Sports Bar, which is said to be popular with residents around Westfield Road in Edinburgh.

Councillors are to decide on the officials’ recommendation on Wednesday.

Planning officials said: “The proposal will deliver a sustainable, well-designed development on a brownfield site that minimises environmental impact. The design is of a high quality and takes cues from the character of the surrounding area.”

A planning application seeks permission for the “demolition of existing building and erection of a purpose-built student accommodation development with associated amenity space” including cycle parking and landscaping.

"The site is presently home to a local sports bar ‘The Murrayfield Bar’, a single storey development which also offers outdoor seating to the front and side of the building,” a planning statement prepared on behalf of the applicant EH1 Students (Gorgie) Ltd by Fletcher Joseph Associates showed.

“It is well placed within walking distance to both Tynecastle Park football ground and Murrayfield rugby stadium.

“The immediate surrounding area is largely composed of three to four-storey residential tenements. Main access to the bar is via Westfield Road, this key arterial route links the site to Gorgie Road and the bustling Gorgie Road town centre area.”

The Herald: The proposals and the barThe proposals and the bar (Image: Fletcher Joseph Architects/Google)

It continued: “The current proposal presents a total of 87 studio bedrooms with private social amenity space on the ground floor and fifth floor. Outdoor social amenity space is provided at ground level as a courtyard to the rear of the proposal, seating areas to the street facade and a roof terrace.

“Allocation for bicycle storage will also be provided at ground level to support sustainable travel principles.

“The development will seek to re-address the roofscape of Westfield Road by replacing the existing single-storey building with a five-storey development in keeping with the existing tenement blocks opposite.”


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