Remedial work at the 390-acre Blindwells scheme was placed on hold in March due to the COVID-19 lockdown, however, developer Hargreaves Land said the site is now ‘oven-ready’ for residential development to commence following planning approval.

In May, East Lothian Council backed plans for the new homes alongside a series of new infrastructure works. A mix of three, four and five-bedroom detached homes with integral garages will be built at the western edge of the 390-acre site. Infrastructure works will also see the construction of a new entrance off Bankton roundabout and a second right turn into the new town further along the A198 as well as drainage and landscaping.

Blindwells, which is located 12 miles east of central Edinburgh, has planning consent for 1,600 new homes with proposals including social housing, education facilities, a healthcare hub, local retail outlets and many other services needed for a new community.

Hargreaves Land is the property and land division of Hargreaves Services plc which employs more than 2,000 people delivering key projects in the property and industrial sectors, with a growing focus on optimising the development value of its 15,000-acre land portfolio.

Hargreaves Land’s development director, Iain Slater, said: “We are delighted to have secured the backing of East Lothian Council for the first round of development at Blindwells and we are very much looking forward to being able to get started.

“The lockdown situation is unprecedented and will obviously delay our progress but this development has always been a long term project for Hargreaves. We are still having conversations with interested parties and talking to our development partners on a regular basis so we can hit the ground running when the restrictions are lifted.”

Plans for a further 60 houses and flats to be developed by Cruden Homes are still awaiting approval and in total nearly 6,000 homes are expected to be built at Blindwells over the next 10 to 15 years.