181 Pleasance office building could become 23-suite aparthotel

An office building on the Pleasance could be turned into a 23-suite aparthotel under a new planning application lodged with the City of Edinburgh Council.

The proposal covers 181 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9RU, on the west side of The Pleasance in the Southside. The building is currently in office use, classed as Class 4 business space, and the application seeks permission to change it to an aparthotel, which is treated as sui generis use in planning terms.

The plans also include alterations to the building, including new roof dormers and substantial internal reworking to create the proposed suites.

What is proposed at 181 Pleasance

The application seeks consent for the change of use and alteration of the existing office building to form an aparthotel with 23 suites.

In practical terms, that would mean the building moving from a workplace use to visitor accommodation. Aparthotels usually provide self-contained accommodation for short stays, combining elements of hotel use with apartment-style layouts, although the precise operating model for this proposal is not set out in the core application description.

The main elements are:

• change of use from office, Class 4, to aparthotel, sui generis
• creation of 23 suites
• roof dormers
• internal alterations throughout the building

The planning application is listed as a full application, meaning the council is being asked to consider the principle and detail of the proposed change and alterations together.

Where the site is

181 Pleasance sits in Edinburgh’s Southside, around 0.8 miles south of the city centre. The property is on the west side of The Pleasance, with Hardwell Close to the south and Gilmore Street to the north.

The surrounding area is mixed in character, with homes, commercial premises, visitor accommodation, university activity and city-centre services all within walking distance. Nicolson Street and South Bridge are nearby routes into the Old Town and central Edinburgh, while Holyrood and the Scottish Parliament lie roughly a mile to the north.

The location also falls within the Southside Conservation Area. That does not prevent development or change of use, but it does mean the design and external impact of alterations can carry particular weight in the council’s assessment.

Why this application matters

This is a relatively compact proposal compared with major redevelopment schemes, but it is still notable because it would change the everyday role of the building.

A 23-suite aparthotel would introduce a new visitor accommodation use on a street that already carries a mix of local, student, residential, cultural and commercial activity. For nearby residents and businesses, the issues likely to be of interest include how the building would be accessed, how guests would arrive and leave, the effect of the roof changes, and how the use would sit alongside neighbouring properties.

For the wider Southside, the application is part of a familiar Edinburgh planning question: how much visitor accommodation should be supported in central and inner-city neighbourhoods where housing, offices, student uses, hospitality and tourism all compete for space.

The proposal would also remove an office use from the building. The application description identifies the existing use as Class 4 business space, but does not describe the current occupancy or name a future operator for the aparthotel.

Roof dormers and internal changes

The proposal includes roof dormers, which are likely to be among the more visible elements of the scheme from the street or surrounding upper floors, depending on their position and design.

Dormers are a common way to bring more usable space and daylight into attic or upper-floor accommodation, but in conservation areas they are usually assessed carefully for their effect on roof form, materials, proportions and the character of the building and street.

The application also involves major internal alterations. For a change from office use to 23 aparthotel suites, that would normally require a different internal layout, including guest rooms or suites, circulation space and building services. The public-facing description does not provide a full room-by-room breakdown, so residents wanting to understand the arrangement should check the drawings and documents on the council portal.

Planning status

The application is currently marked as awaiting assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council.

That means no decision has been issued. The council will assess the proposal against relevant planning policy and site-specific considerations, including the change of use, conservation area context, design of alterations and any amenity issues raised through consultation.

People who live nearby, run businesses in the area, or have an interest in the Southside can view the case on the council’s planning portal and follow any updates there.

The planning reference is 26/02219/FUL. The address is 181 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9RU.