A BINGO hall in Edinburgh could be turned into student accommodation following a decision made by the council tomorrow.
Plans have been submitted to turn Club 3000 Bingo Hall into student flats with 200 beds.
The building, which was formerly the Leith Capitol Theatre and Cinema, is located on Manderston Street in Leith.
Councillors will discuss the site, which is set within the Leith Conservation Area, and are expected to grant permission for the development.
In March last year, an application was submitted for a student accommodation development comprising 190 cluster rooms and 10 studio apartments.
The bingo hall is located under a railway arch which used to serve the Leith Walk West Goods Yard, which closed in 1966.
Regulars at Club 3000 Bingo were saddened to see the Leith hall close in January, as a new venue opened in Ocean Terminal.
The plans come from a desire to preserve the historic building and involve an extension to the site.
If successful, cycle parking will also be created within the repurposed railway archway, which would continue into the bingo hall to provide a total of 200 spaces.
It is believed that the construction would “preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area” in which there are a mix of buildings with varying designs and uses.
The application will be discussed in a City of Edinburgh Council meeting tomorrow, amid an ongoing exploration of a ban on private student halls in the city.
The ban was proposed by SNP councillor Danny Aston, who had concerns about developers not “taking the changing circumstances into account” and disregarding public opposition.
His motion was passed last week with council officers set to explore their options and reconvene in September.
