Midlothian RSL Melville Housing Association is to deliver 28 new high quality affordable homes for the local area, thanks to a £2.8 million deal with house builder Taylor Wimpey.

The 28 new properties, which will be built at Taylor Wimpey’s Cameron Gardens development in Bilston, will be a mix of one and two bedroom apartments and will help meet the recent significant increase in demand for smaller homes.

“Historically we have never seen a great demand for smaller properties, but this has changed with the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’,” said Andrew Noble, chief executive of Melville Housing. “These new properties will open up vital downsizing opportunities and wouldn’t be possible without the strategic support of Midlothian Council and funding from the Scottish Government. We are delighted to be working with Taylor Wimpey to deliver these high quality, affordable homes for Midlothian.”

Construction recently got underway on the 14 one bedroom and 14 two bedroom apartments, with work expected to be complete by spring 2016. The 28 properties will help meet the high demand for social housing in Midlothian, where there are currently over 4,000 individuals and families waiting for an affordable home.

The overall cost of the project is almost £2.9m, with slightly more than half (£1.54m) coming from a Scottish Government grant. The remainder of the project will be funded by Melville Housing’s own finance.

Minister for housing and welfare Margaret Burgess said: “Melville Housing Association’s 28 new homes will be a welcome addition to the supply of affordable housing in Midlothian, offering people more choice and opportunities to find a home that suits their needs.

“Developments such as this not only provide a boost for our construction sector and wider economy, but also offer people and families the chance to rent a new home at affordable rates.

“This development has been backed by £1.54m of investment from the Scottish Government and demonstrates our on-going commitment to supporting housing associations and their tenants.”

Karen Armstrong, sales & marketing director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, added: “We’re delighted to play our key role in the delivery of 28 one and two bedroom affordable apartments for rent for Melville Housing Association, and it’s great to see construction getting off to such a positive start.

“This project maximises our extensive experience in the delivery of mixed communities and multi-tenure developments, and it represents our successful partnership with Melville Housing Association and Midlothian Council in the realisation of our Section 75 obligations as part of the overall development at Bilston.”

This latest project builds on an already successful partnership in Midlothian between Melville Housing and Taylor Wimpey, which, once completed, will have delivered over 70 high quality, affordable homes across the local area.