West Lothian Council is celebrating the significant community benefits being delivered through its programme to build 775 new council homes in partnership with housing developer Lovell.

In total, the local authority is building 1,000 new council homes in all nine council ward areas.

Construction work is now under way by Lovell on more than 300 homes through a £67 million programme which will ultimately create 775 new homes across 17 sites. Lovell is currently on site at ten developments including at Blackburn, Livingston, Fauldhouse, East Calder and Linlithgow.

A wide range of community benefits for the area have been provided alongside the new homes.

The scheme has so far also delivered: 17 new apprenticeships sponsored by Lovell and its subcontractor partners; training for 27 existing apprentices; 31 site jobs; six graduate jobs and 29 work experience placements. An estimated 80 per cent of the subcontractors working on the scheme come from within 40km of the project area.

Local schools and colleges have also benefited thanks to careers activities and events linked to the project. This included Lovell teaming up with its supply chain partners and subcontractors to present a donation of over £8,500 to students from Inveralmond Community High School in West Lothian, enabling them to compete in the global finals of the F1 in Schools competition in America in October 2016.

Executive councillor for services for the community, George Paul, said: “West Lothian Council is committed to providing new council homes across all areas of West Lothian. We believe that our programme will not only provide much needed affordable housing for local people but also provide a number of community benefits, which is a key element to our programme. We are delighted that so many young people have benefited from training and employment opportunities via our partnership with Lovell, and that local businesses are also working on our sites.”

“To be creating these much-needed new homes is very satisfying,” said Lovell acting regional director Adam Forrest.

“Yet, we’re equally proud of the results of the community investment programme. The programme’s achievements - made possible by our strong working relationship with the council and our local subcontractor partners – include life-changing job and training opportunities which demonstrate the additional valuable social and economic benefits flowing from this large-scale development.

“Schemes of this are kind are about much more than building new homes. As part of our Enhancing Communities commitment, Lovell strives to foster a permanent legacy of benefits to help communities thrive wherever we work through investment in new jobs and the creation of apprenticeships and other training opportunities for local people as well as working with schools and colleges and supporting community organisations.”