Get the Edinburgh stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Plans to turn the Sick Kids hospital site into a development with 323 student flats have been given the green light by council officials.

The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Sciennes has been caring for young people since the 19th Century.

However NHS Lothian is due to transfer its services to a new site at Little France in the near future.

The site has been purchased by Liverpool developers Downing, who have applied to turn it into a development consisting of 118 residential flats, eight houses and accommodation for 323 students.

(Image: Downing)

In 2017 a community buyout bid for the site - which aimed to deliver affordable housing and community spaces - failed.

Downing's application is due to go before Edinburgh council's planning committee this week, though must be approved at a meeting of the full council at a later date.

The council's planning officers have recommended the applications be approved, saying the Victorian building will be preserved.

Officials said in a report to councillors: "The development will have no detrimental impact on residential amenity or road safety. The mix of uses will have no detrimental impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood.

"The proposals will result in an overall conservation gain through the reuse and preservation of the listed buildings on site."

Parts of the Sick Kids site will be demolished but the main building, which dates back to the 1890s, will be retained. There will be communal garden ground for the affordable housing units.

A five-storey block for student accommodation will be constructed at the corner of Sciennes Road and Sylvan Place, where the existing A&E department is.

There will be a new public space connecting the north and south sides of the site, as well as a new public garden in the forecourt of the hospital building.

The Mortuary Chapel building will be converted into apartments, retaining the Phoebe Anna Traquair murals which exist there.

Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council representatives will attend the planning meeting on Wednesday, where they will argue for community spaces at the site.

Councillors must approve the application in order for it to go ahead.

For more stories from across the Edinburgh area like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

You can also subscribe to our newsletter: enter your email in the blue box at the top of this article to get daily updates straight to your inbox.