Graham Construction has confirmed that it is well on track to complete its £14.5m redevelopment of Deaconess House.

Upon completion, the property will become home to more than 300 students at Edinburgh University from the start of the 2014/15 academic year.

As part of the work, the contractor has preserved the Pleasance façade of the building, which is said to date back to 1894. The front of the building was retained, but the former library and nurses' residence were demolished last year. This made room for three new blocks to be constructed in their place, around a central courtyard. The complex will have a communal area with a pool table and seating, while each flat will also have a spacious kitchen and dining area. Graham has said many of the 315 bedrooms are now taking shape; some of these are in five or six-bedroom apartments, while others are studio flats while the windows in the former hospital have been replaced with new sash and case windows to ensure it is in keeping with the historic character.

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James Henderson, Graham Construction Project Manager, said: "You never know what you're going to get, there are hidden gems.

"There's a lot of steelwork and support structure that went in that weren't originally planned, but you get to see old styles of construction that are no longer used and a couple of tradesmen's tricks."

He added that one of the major milestones of the project was removing the scaffolding from the façade. He explained: "Passers-by started to talk about it and look at it as a building rather than a building site.

"Now we've got furniture and carpets down in some of the rooms, we are getting that feeling that we are getting close to the end."

The project is due to be completed by summer 2014.

(JP/MH)