Two affordable housing projects in Wallyford, East Lothian, and Burdiehouse, in south Edinburgh, are being built in parallel to provide 109 council-owned homes. They are the first schemes to be taken forward through the South East Regional Delivery Alliance (SE-RDA), in partnership with the Scottish Futures Trust, and are due to complete next summer, with the capacity to accommodate more than 370 people.

The sites are achieving efficiencies via back-to-back site assessments and standardised house and flat types. Once occupied, the homes will be net zero ready thanks to air source and exhaust air heat pumps and higher levels of insulation.

Using closely aligned designs and construction methods across both locations has streamlined delivery while maintaining high-quality, sustainable homes tailored to local needs.

CCG (Scotland)'s offsite modern methods of construction are being used on both projects. At its advanced manufacturing facility in Glasgow, CCG produces its enhanced closed-panel 'iQ' Timber System, pre-installing insulation, wall linings, and its own windows and doors in a controlled environment before transporting components to site. This boosts quality, accelerates programmes and generates cost efficiencies throughout the build.

The dual developments underline how closer collaboration between local authorities, designers and contractors can create a more efficient pipeline of affordable housing by cutting duplication and replicating proven designs across multiple sites.

Speaking ahead of Scottish Housing Day on Wednesday 16 September, Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee Convener and the City of Edinburgh Council leader, Jane Meagher, said: "Burdiehouse is one of several new developments under construction across the city which, once complete, will provide high quality and efficient affordable homes to hundreds of people.

-- Advertisement --

"This innovative, collaborative approach across the two sites, including standardised designs and streamlined processes, has led to more efficient project delivery.

"By working together with South East Regional Delivery Alliance partners we can strengthen our response to the housing emergency and accelerate the delivery of the affordable homes that we so urgently need."

East Lothian Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing & Property Maintenance, Councillor Andy Forrest, said: "This innovative method of redeveloping the site of the old Wallyford Primary School is a great example of partnership working. East Lothian is particularly affected by the national shortage of affordable and social housing as we are one of the fastest growing local authorities so projects like this one that provide quality homes for those who most need them are to be welcomed."

CCG Managing Director David Wylie said: "It is extremely positive to see these two projects progressing through construction and contributing to the delivery of much-needed affordable homes across Edinburgh and East Lothian.

"Wallyford and Burdiehouse were both directly awarded to CCG, a procurement route that enables us to engage at an early stage and work collaboratively with our clients and design teams to generate time and cost efficiencies before construction begins.

"Once on site, design standardisation and our approach to modern methods of construction deliver further efficiencies, with homes being built faster, more cost effectively, and to a consistently high quality standard.

"This delivery model ultimately helps us to collectively address the immediate and long-term wellbeing of our communities, and presents an exciting opportunity for partners across the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal to work collaboratively to support its communities at a time of significant housing need."

Paul Dodd, Senior Associate Director at the Scottish Futures Trust, said: "It is fantastic to see both Wallyford and Burdiehouse now progressing well on site. These developments demonstrate the benefits of taking a collaborative and long-term approach to housing delivery.

"By bringing sites together, using shared expertise and developing repeatable house and flat designs, the partners have been able to reduce duplication and create a more efficient route from feasibility through to construction.

"The use of modern methods of construction is also helping to accelerate delivery, while ensuring that the homes being built are high-quality, sustainable and designed to create happy and healthy homes for local communities."

The projects will also provide valuable learning for partners across the South East as SE-RDA continues to explore how collaborative procurement, repeatable designs and modern construction methods can meet housing need and support the delivery of much-needed affordable homes.