‘Final phase’ of expansion planned
Application in for up to 150 homes on edge of Wallyford
AS MANY as 150 new homes could be built in the latest development on the outskirts of Wallyford.
Thousands of homes are planned or being built through an expansion of the village to the south and east through the St Clements Wells and Dolphingstone developments.
Now East Lothian Developments Ltd has applied for permission for “the final phase” of the Dolphingstone development, on a site northwest of the sliproad off the A1 at the junction of the same name.
The proposals, which are in the early stages, suggest “up to” 150 homes – two-storey and in a range of sizes – would be built alongside a public park.
The final form and scale of the new homes will be agreed with East Lothian Council during the detailed design stage.
A statement included with the latest application notes: “The proposed development will deliver
new affordable homes and market homes.
“There is a need for more affordable housing in East Lothian and significant affordability pressures in the private rental sector and for first-time buyers.
“At the operation stage, the proposed development will be home to hundreds of residents who will help to grow the customer base of local businesses, supporting them to retain staff and potentially expand, creating new employment opportunities.
“The proposed development would
provide new attractive, usable open space and an equipped play area, which is located prominently at the front of the site, easily accessed from surrounding existing homes.”
The developers claim that the proposed development would support 288 jobs per year during the construction phase and 109 jobs per year as a result of “the wider positive economic impact”.
The overall development has transformed Wallyford in recent years.
A new primary school and secondary school – the first of its kind in
East Lothian in more than 50 years – have both opened, while there are plans for retail space as well.
The statement highlights the overall impact of the development on the expanding village.
It reads: “Over the past 10 years, East Lothian Developments Ltd have sought to facilitate a vision for a significant portion of land surrounding both Wallyford and at Dolphingstone in order to transform both the area and the facilities for the local community.
“An initial investment in excess of £25 million allowed the remediation of ground which had been extensively undermined together with ground preparation and extensive utility capacity upgrading to deliver platformed sites for housebuilding.
“These sites will ultimately deliver over 2,000 new homes, including over 500 affordable homes in attractive settings with a focus on accessibility for day-to-day requirements.”
The application, which is for planning permission in principle, is expected to be decided by the beginning of March next year.