A sod-cutting ceremony on Wednesday 18 February marked the start of construction at Easthouses, one of Midlothian's most actively regenerated neighbourhoods. The Melville-led development, taken forward via its Ironmills subsidiary, will provide a mix of terraced houses, cottage flats and a flatted block, designed to high standards of sustainability and accessibility.

John Allan, Construction Director at McTaggart Construction, commented: "It's great to be breaking ground on this development. The former Newbattle High School site has already seen tremendous investment in recent years, and these 28 homes will be a meaningful addition to the work that's already been done to transform this area. We're looking forward to delivering homes that the community can be genuinely proud of."

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"This is a key milestone for Melville and for the wider Easthouses community," said Neil Edgar, Melville's Development Manager. "We know there's a great deal of demand for mid-market rent homes, and these 28 properties, the first built for our Ironmills subsidiary in nearly 15 years, will provide high-quality, energy-efficient housing in a location that has already seen significant regeneration. We're pleased to be working in partnership with McTaggart Construction to help deliver homes that meet local needs and support the long-term future of the area."

Community benefits are planned throughout the build, with McTaggart set to work closely with neighbouring Easthouses Primary School on educational site visits, career talks and hands-on learning about construction, while coordinating activity to minimise disruption.

The scheme is the latest phase in the transformation of the former school grounds, which already includes 90 Passivhaus social homes and the new Easthouses Primary School. The additional 28 mid-market rent properties will round off the creation of a balanced, mixed-tenure community.

The project will also generate structured employment and training opportunities, using targeted recruitment and partnerships with local employability providers to support skills development in the area.

The wider professional team comprises Hardies Property and Construction Consultants, Smith Scott Mullan Architects, and Bayne Stevenson as Civil and Structural Engineers.