The University of St Andrews has submitted a fresh planning application to provide 960 student beds at Albany Park and ease the pressure on the town’s housing stock.
The new proposal would see 200 more beds than had been proposed in an earlier planning application which was refused by Fife Council planners mainly due to concerns about flood risk raised by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
The proposed development is the centrepiece of a £70 million investment in student accommodation by the University which will create 1100 new bedrooms over and above the 4000 which the University already provides.
The new planning application, submitted to Fife Council this month, aims to mitigate the concerns of Sepa and other objectors and looks to retain and refurbish Woodburn House and part of the Woodburn complex and preserve a group of trees located in the north west corner of the site, helping to reduce the impact on the nearby conservation area and resolve concerns on flood risk.
University Quaestor Derek Watson, who is responsible for the development of the University’s professional services, said: “The development at Albany Park is key to the University’s strategy to provide more student accommodation for our students and ease the pressure on the housing stock in St Andrews”.
“We welcome the comments made by Fife Council in rejecting the earlier planning application and have revised our plans to increase the number of beds by around 200 which will further improve the overall supply of accommodation in St Andrews”.
“The new Albany Park will provide around 960 high quality student beds in an attractive landscaped environment which will improve amenity in the east of the town and has the potential to revitalise the eastern area of St Andrews”.
Click here to view the application via the Fife e-planning service
