A Gorgie Dalry resident recently wrote their lived experience regarding the lack of affordable or social housing and how the increasing amount of student accommodation is adding to the problem. It was so well written, we asked if it could be published on our blog and they have kindly given us permission on the condition we keep them anonymous:

I am just writing to you to give my view on the proposed student accommodation block at the old Tynecastle High School site.

Like many others in Edinburgh I am becoming incredibly frustrated at the lack of affordable or social housing, especially as someone who is trying to undertake what seems like the impossible task of getting out of rented accommodation and into buying our own place. We are a young professional couple and very lucky to have a decent household income and even we are finding Edinburgh more and more unsustainable to live in and the increasing amount of student accommodation is only adding to the problem and taking away vital space in traditionally affordable areas for affordable housing.

In the space of time we have lived here we have seen only just up the road in Fountainbridge being dominated by student accommodation with even more being built as we speak, luxury housing priced up to £700k with no social housing at all allocated being built over the road next to Gorgie Farm, the site next to the railway lines next to Murieston Park is being turned into student accommodation and now a proposal for even more only a stones throw away.

This is a problem in a lot of what would be affordable/low income areas in Edinburgh too. I grew up in Pilton and all around my parents house in Granton there is student accommodation being erected, the same is happening in Leith. It is an utter travesty that people who are born and grew up here, working and contributing to make Edinburgh the appealing place it is are left with little choice but to be pushed further and further out of the city to accommodate temporary accommodation for people who will live here for 3-4 years max. There seems to be absolutely no recognition from the council that they are failing lower income families and individuals in this area.

These areas close to the city centre desperately need more housing that is somewhat affordable to the average person and more social housing for people who can’t afford the extortionate private rents that things like masses of student accommodation and the issues we face with things like AirBnB cause. I think there needs to be a serious discussion not only about this site but the wider construction of student accommodation being moved further to the outskirts of the city to areas that are often forgotten about and neglected where they can benefit from the influx of students (and their money) there.

It seems very unfair on the people who have spent a large portion of their life here, or would like to move here on a permanent basis are constantly forgotten about at the expense of students and tourists. Not a lot of people who I grew up with have been able to continue to live here and are being forced to move to places like Kirkliston and beyond. I am incredibly proud of the city we have and the academic institutions we boast but there desperately needs to be a readdressing of the balance before Edinburgh quickly descends into becoming a place solely for the middle classes and above.

Anonymous