Leading Design & Build contractor McAleer & Rushe, along with Vita Group, has celebrated a significant construction milestone with the topping out of their new student accommodation scheme at New Waverley in Edinburgh.

The ceremony, attended by key project stakeholders, marked the structural completion of the building.

The development will provide a 267-bed Vita Student residence in time for the 2026 academic year. It is the fifth project undertaken by McAleer & Rushe as part of the £240 million New Waverley regeneration masterplan. The scheme is transforming a brownfield site to meet Edinburgh’s growing need for student accommodation.

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Once complete, the residence will feature a state-of-the-art gym, social and study spaces. It will be the third Vita Student residence in Edinburgh, joining established sites at Fountainbridge and Iona Street. The development is one of several collaborations between McAleer & Rushe and Vita Group, including ongoing projects in Birmingham and Glasgow, as well as the award-winning scheme in Belfast.

Mark Diamond, Senior Director at McAleer & Rushe, said the topping out was a chance to "reflect on the collective efforts" of the project team and partners.

Max Bielby, Chief Operating Officer for Vita Group, highlighted that the development would provide "much-needed high-quality accommodation designed to support student wellbeing and success."