Plans for new student accommodation in St Andrews

The University of St Andrews has submitted plans to build new student accommodation on the North Haugh.
The proposed development. Pic: University of St Andrews.The proposed development. Pic: University of St Andrews.
The proposed development. Pic: University of St Andrews.

The new building would be constructed between the Agnes Blackadder Hall and the Andrew Melville Hall, and aims to help meet the demand for more student accommodation in St Andrews. The proposed development would deliver an additional 148 beds for the university.

While there are plans to keep the office site currently on part of the land earmarked for the building, it could be demolished in the future.

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The report notes that there has been an increase in demand for higher education in Scotland, and an increase in demand for accommodation.

The report states: “The University of St Andrews is committed to increasing the quantity and quality of student accommodation across its estate.

“This supports the university’s overall growth strategy, and helps fulfil a commitment to the town that wherever possible, modern, university-managed accommodation will be provided for students, to alleviate the pressure on the private housing market in the centre of St Andrews.”

The university currently provides around 4100 beds.

However, the report states that pressure from the local community and tourism markets means that available accommodation is at a premium.

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The report continues: “The university expects the first large spike in growth to come for the 2021/22 academic year. The current residential capacity provides c.44 per cent (4100) of beds for our current student population (9300) with little space to accommodate additional returning students and a risk that as our student population grows, more returning and postgraduate students will be pushed into the private market to guarantee rooms for incoming undergraduates.”

Setting out the benefits of the proposed development, the report states it will: promote the student experience with a focus on shared and common spaces; make a positive contribution to the North Haugh campus area and relate positively to both Andrew Melville Hall and Agnes Blackadder Hall; integrate with the rolling, undulating landscape setting of Andrew Melville Hall; minimise the visual impact upon Andrew Melville Hall through considered massing, scale and articulation; create a new active quad space to provide amenity and identity for the new building; and be low energy, adaptable, sustainable and low impact.

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