Wemyss and March Estates has secured the prestigious Rural Property Award at the recent Helping it Happen Awards 2025, which is organised by Scottish Land and Estates and celebrates "countryside innovators".

The award recognises the Estate's work on Longniddry South (also known as Longniddry Village) in East Lothian, which is distinguished by its high-quality, traditional design and commitment to sustainability.

The overall masterplan, devised by the Estate alongside Socially Conscious Capital and Taylor Architecture and Urbanism, was praised by the judges for its high-quality design, which integrates green spaces, traditional aesthetics, and car-free streets.

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The site is highly sustainable due to its proximity to existing shops and services, with Longniddry train station on its doorstep. The masterplan includes generous provisions for nature, such as a wildflower meadow, an orchard, and a restored winding burn.

Phase 1 of the development, comprising 179 homes (out of a total of 470), was completed in 2024 and is fully occupied. A quarter of all homes are affordable, designed to be indistinguishable from the private homes in terms of quality. The first phase has already boosted the local primary school intake and provided 39 dementia-friendly cottage flats for over-65s.

The project also involves the sensitive conversion of the historic Longniddry Steading into business space and has generated several million pounds (£m) of planning contributions for new crossings, footpaths, and train station improvements.

Martin Andrews, Factor of Wemyss and March Estates, said the award celebrates their work to ensure the development "makes an enduring and valued contribution within our home county of East Lothian".