CLARK Contracts are set to build purpose-built student accommodation after being appointed by property developers S. Harrison Developments.
The new development will be in Cowgate, just behind Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Several existing buildings have been demolished on the site, yet many older and architecturally significant features have been preserved and will reportedly be integrated into the new scheme.
The scheme will comprise 76 studio rooms, quality amenity space, separate study rooms, a multimedia room, a gym, breakout space, and cycle storage.
Clark Contracts will start work in January, and the development will be completed by the start of the 2026 academic year.
The developer is currently working on another PBSA scheme on East Newington Place in Edinburgh, which will feature 65 studio rooms and is set to be completed in summer 2025.
David Clancy, from S. Harrison, said: “This latest development in Canongate will create more much-needed student accommodation in the heart of one of Europe’s top university cities, opposite the Holyrood Campus of The University of Edinburgh and within easy reach of lots of other key university facilities.
“We’re therefore delighted to appoint Clark Contracts and give this tired and unloved brownfield site a new and sustainable future, with a sympathetic design that contributes towards preserving the character and appearance of Edinburgh’s Old Town Conservation Area.”
This scheme is the latest investment in Edinburgh from S. Harrison in recent years.
The company is currently developing a 157-bedroom hotel in the city’s Haymarket area, which will open in early 2026 and be operated by European hotel group MEININGER Hotels.
Michael Scanlan, director of Clark Contracts, said: “This project will combine significant elements of the site’s existing historic buildings with a new five-storey building.
“The whole development is designed to be highly energy efficient and will use the latest green technology.
“We have a strong track record of delivering successful PBSA schemes and high-quality projects in sensitive and historic parts of Edinburgh.
“So we are delighted to have been appointed by S. Harrison to deliver this development and look forward to starting work during January.”
S. Harrison’s Edinburgh developments are being delivered as part of a forward funding deal with Singapore-headquartered Q Investment Partners (QIP).
James Coppack, head of QIP Development Group, commented: “This second collaboration with S. Harrison in Edinburgh represents another important milestone in our commitment to growing our vertically integrated UK PBSA platform.
“Over the past year, we have worked closely with S. Harrison to deliver projects that meet the rising demand for high-quality accommodation in key student markets.
“The Canongate development is a particularly interesting one for us as the site is situated within the Royal Mile, a street that provides a main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the City.
“The development encompasses historical preservation through the incorporation of the former walls and workshop building whilst providing a best-in-class scheme that complements its local context.”
