Edinburgh Steiner School granted permission for new building as part of early years expansion project

Independent Edinburgh school delighted to see expansion plans approved

An independent school in Edinburgh has been granted permission to construct a new building on its grounds as part of its early years expansion plans.

Edinburgh Steiner School at Spylaw Road in Polwarth has been granted permission by the council’s planning department to create a new single-storey, timber-clad structure along the east boundary wall to house two classrooms, a cloakroom and toilet facilities, to accommodate younger pupils.

Council planners said the proposals will “preserve the character and setting of the listed building” and are acceptable. The new building needs to be built within three years, with the school currently fundraising to pay for the works.

An artist's impression of the new building at Edinburgh Steiner School building, by Benjamin Tindall Architects.

Alistair Pugh, a management team member at Edinburgh Steiner School told the Evening News just what this approval means for the independent school set in three acres of leafy grounds.

He said: “It’s part of a wider project called ‘Growing Spaces’, where we have been expanding our facilities over the years. We have already converted a 19th Century C-listed Coach House and adjoined second coach house into 21st Century classrooms and creative arts spaces.

“As we are expanding our early years we are finding we need more space. Some of our younger children are currently in a space not designed for younger ones.

“So this new building will be a space purpose-built with younger children in mind. A much brighter and greener building.

“We are fundraising at the moment. So we will continue to do that and then hopefully build this new building as soon as possible.”

Another artist's impression of the new building at Edinburgh Steiner School building, by Benjamin Tindall Architects.

The school currently offer spaces for up to 80 children a day from age two. This is not going to change, but there will be more space for the children. Each room is deliberately spacious, with no more than 10 children a day aged two to three in each 'Seedlings' space. 

The planning application received four objections regarding the building’s close proximity to the school’s boundary wall, and two neutral comments on the City of Edinburgh Council’s planning website.

Alistair and everyone at the school is “delighted” that the latest phase of the school’s growing spaces project has been approved.

He said: “It’s very much needed. That age group has been expanding here in the last few years.

“We want to meet demand and give them a space more suited to that age group. So this building is part of a wider project as we continue to grow our early years department.

“We are very happy to get this application approved, delighted. It allows us to continue our on-going programme of improvements, renovations and extensions as part of growing spaces.”

Edinburgh Steiner School at Spylaw Road. Photo by Google Maps.

The construction programme is likely to be based around the school and term breaks and carefully managed to allow the school to continue to operate while construction is taking place.

The school’s site was originally three individual sites that have been bought by the school. Spylaw Road was developed in the 1870s as an attractive central and smoke free suburb with large houses.