Cruden Building Scotland has begun construction of 30 new energy efficient council flats and houses in Pencaitland, the first new council homes to be built in the village since 1985.

The scheme is by East Lothian Council's capital investment programme and the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

The new development, off Lempockwells Road, will feature a mix of house styles including family cottage flats, terraced and detached family homes, ranging in size from one to three bedroom properties. Each home has been designed in accordance with Secured by Design standards and will be built to 'Housing for Varying Needs' criteria, providing tenants with the flexibility and space they need to grow in years to come.

Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing and Property Maintenance, Councillor Andy Forrest, said: "I'm very pleased to see new council homes being built in this popular village where there is a strong demand for new social housing. Our last development here was at Woodhall Place in 1985 so it will be fantastic to welcome new tenants to Pencaitland. It's also really important, particularly due to rising energy costs, that these homes are being built in a highly sustainable way and will include features like Air Source Heat Pumps and high quality insulation, which will help the new tenants cope with the general cost of living increases.

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"This site forms part of the council's general commitment to build almost 2,000 new affordable homes between now and the financial year 2026/27."

The Lempockwells development will create a biodiverse neighbourhood and the site will undergo landscaping to include attractive greenery and vibrant open plan spaces. Residents will also be able to make use of communal car charging facilities, car parking and recycling storage areas. A sustainable urban drainage system which is shared by the neighbouring site is being used to manage surface water run off.

The new homes are positioned close to Pencaitland Railway path, part of the National Cycle Network, and tenants can make use of nearby amenities and fantastic connections to the wider East Lothian area with highly accessible transport links situated nearby.

Allan Callaghan, Managing Director of Cruden Building, said: "Starting work on our Lempockwells site is a great milestone and we're delighted to be bringing more sustainable homes to East Lothian to meet the increasing demand of the growing population. This has been a great opportunity to roll-out our Fabric First approach and create homes which are more affordable for users, particularly during times when electricity and heating costs are at an all-time high.

"We've put a lot of focus on building a development which is not only attractive and functional for homeowners, but also provides an inviting neighbourhood in which families can interact and make the most of their surroundings. At Cruden, we aim to build communities, not just houses, and we're looking forward to continuing this placemaking approach across future projects."

The homes are scheduled for completion towards the end of 2023, into early 2024.

(L-R): Rosemary Way, Community Housing Development Officer; Wendy McGuire, Head of Housing; Councillor Andy Forrest, Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing and Property Maintenance and Richard Crowther, Commercial Director at Cruden Building.