Anger as 544-bed hostel gets go-ahead in Edinburgh’s historic West End

Labour MP Dr Scott Arthur was among those who spoke out against the development. He said he was disappointed by the decision.

“Throughout this process, residents have been clear about the likely impact on a quiet, established residential neighbourhood, including loss of amenity and increased noise, pressures on narrow streets and concerns about safety and security arising from such a large, 24-hour operation,” he said.

“While I respect the planning process and the role of the Reporter, I believe this decision will be difficult for many in the community to accept given the scale of the proposal and its location in a sensitive residential setting.

“I will continue to stand with residents as we work to understand the implications of this decision and ensure their concerns are addressed as far as possible in its implementation.”

Claire Miller, Green councillor for the City Centre ward, said: “It’s really disappointing that the wealth of evidence provided by the residential community in the West End has been set to the side in this case.

“It goes to show that the voice of communities needs far more power, and I will be raising this with MSPs as a textbook example for the need for planning reforms.”

The Scottish government has been approached for comment.