Former Edinburgh hospital to be turned into housing

Plans to turn a former hospital in Edinburgh into housing have been approved by the council.

Developers have been given permission to convert Corstorphine Hospital and its grounds into 76 flats.

Sundial Dundas Corstorphine Ltd have been vying to redevelop the building and its site since first lodging a planning application in September 2017.

A design statement, submitted on their behalf by Michael Laird Architects, said: “Our proposals provide high quality residential accommodation within a sensitive development, which respects the former hospital and landscape setting.

“By removing the former additions and buildings and sensitively restoring the former hospital, providing insertions and additions, we can make the building work for modern residential accommodation.

“New build elements will be purposefully modern, contrasting with the original building to enable a clear understanding of the development period to be created.

“The new build accommodation is designed to create a sense of place, forming meaningful landscaped areas for enjoyment by the residents.

Plans: The hospital and its grounds will be turned into flats. LDRS

“The buildings will respect the original hospital building in both mass, height and materiality.

“Restoring the listed building setting and landscape to its former glory will allow the site to once again breathe by the creation of the garden or meadow which will contextualise the development to the street and enable views of the hospital building.”

The scheme has been brought before the council’s development management committee several times concerns have been raised over a steep access route that runs north from Corstorphine Road to the old hospital.

The development was last brought before the committee in December 2019, when councillors asked for more information on potential access schemes.

The developer produced a total of eight possible access schemes to mitigate accessibility concerns.

The scheme council officers recommended to the committee included installing handrails along the length of the steep access, constructing level resting areas at equidistant intervals and providing five disabled parking spaces. This was also the preferred scheme of the Edinburgh Access Panel.

The council granted permission for the hospital to be converted into 32 apartments, with an additional 44 new-build apartments set to be built on site.

Story by local democracy reporter Joseph Anderson