City of Edinburgh Council are commencing a six week consultation exercise on the Revised Student Housing Guidance. Comments made during this consultation stage will be given due consideration in the formation of the finalised guidance.

Purpose-built student accommodation is required to support the city’s higher educational establishments. Both the Edinburgh City Local Plan (ECLP) and the emerging Second Proposed Local Development Plan (LDP June 2014) include a policy to guide its location. To assist with the implementation of this policy, non-statutory planning guidance has been in use since 2010. 

Planning Committee approved an Issues Paper for consultation in December 2014. Public consultation was carried out on the Issues Paper between 16 March 2015 and 24 April 2015. The findings of the consultation exercise on the Issues Paper were reported to the Planning committee on the 6th August 2015. 

At the Planning committee of the 6th August 2015 the Revised Student Housing Planning Guidance was approved for consultation.

The revised guidance is intended to provide better locational clarity and ensure that regard is had to the character of each site’s particular context, whilst continuing to promote or safeguard mixed, sustainable communities. This issue is inter-related to the need for general and affordable housing, and the revised guideline, seeks to encourage the provision of housing in sustainable locations, to address the issue of housing need and maintaining balanced communities.

This consultation will guide you through a series of questions setting out the proposed revised guidance. The revised guidance can be viewed in PDF or as an e-pub on the consultation hub.

Responses to this consultation should be provided by Friday 20th November 2015.