A major milestone has been reached in the construction of Burnet Point, a new £59 million purpose-built student accommodation development at Abbey Lane, Edinburgh. The topping-out ceremony, celebrating progress on the scheme, was recently attended by representatives from developer Unite Students and construction contractor GRAHAM.

Burnet Point combines purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and affordable housing, with the project on track for completion in September 2025, ahead of the 2025/26 academic term.

Edinburgh continues to experience significant demand for student housing, with almost 20% of the city’s population enrolled in further or higher education1. However, there is a substantial PBSA shortfall, with an estimated need for a further 17,000 beds to meet current demand.

Burnet Point will help to alleviate this requirement, providing 298 student bedrooms in a mix of cluster and studio flats alongside 66 one-, two-, and three-bedroom flats, and 17 affordable units managed by Hillcrest Homes.

Designed with sustainability at its core, Burnet Point incorporates low-carbon concrete and timber composite materials. Carbon lifecycle assessments show that Burnet Point will be Unite Students’ lowest carbon new build project to date.

Tom Brewerton, group development director at Unite Students, said:

“We’re thrilled to reach this milestone at Burnet Point. This marks a significant step in delivering high-quality and affordable accommodation to help meet the supply challenges in Edinburgh, one of the UK’s most vibrant university cities.

“Once open, this property will help free up privately rented homes in the city for use by families, reducing housing shortage pressures. We’re committed to providing students with safe and secure homes that enhance the local community and offer access to support if needed.”

Gary Holmes, regional managing director at GRAHAM Building North, said:

“Burnet Point showcases our expertise in sustainable construction and mixed-use developments. The topping-out ceremony highlights the collective effort of all partners involved, and we look forward to completing the next stages as we bring this exciting development to life.”