Taylor Wimpey will kick off years of house building in the north of Penicuik, when they commence preliminary ground works in the coming weeks.
It has been an application caught up in years of legal wrangling but finally, work is to get underway on Taylor Wimpey’s Greenlaw Mill development in the north west of Penicuik.
In the next week or so, contractors, on behalf of the house builder, will take to the long fenced off land north of Greenlaw Mains to start the preliminary phase in the decade long programme of works. This milestone moment will see significant earthworks, roadworks and groundworks to prepare the site for the initial phase of construction. Forecast to take between six and eight months to complete, Wimpey’s sales office will open upon competition in Spring 2017.
Pauline Mills, Land Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland adds:
We are very pleased to confirm that preliminary enabling works are now due to start on the land at Greenlaw Mill in Penicuik signalling the first step to providing a diverse development of over 400 new homes to this area of Midlothian. This development marks our ongoing commitment, investment and strong track record of delivering excellent quality developments in the Midlothian area.
Greenlaw Mill will feature a mixture of property types and styles, including 422 detached, semi-detached or terraced dwellings and 36 apartments. Twenty-three of these homes will be affordable. Also included is a long landscaped linear park, a sizeable children’s play park, football pitches and a small area for commercial use (subject to planning).
As part of the developer’s section 75 legal agreement with the council, Taylor Wimpey will contribute £7m to upgrade local infrastructure and education provision. The vast majority of this sum (£4.7M) will go towards creating a new roundabout onto the A702 from Mauricewood Road. Scottish Water has already commenced preliminary works to divert water pipes away from the approved site of the roundabout. These will be complete by March 31 and work will then begin to create the new junction. The remainder of the funds will be spent signalising the A701/Mauricewood Junction, creating a footpath from the A701 to A702 and extending local primary schools.
Wimpey said they will aim to minimise disruption to the community whilst the initial stage of works is undertaken. However, there will be increase in construction traffic on surrounding routes and roadworks may be required at times.
Ms Mills continued:
As well as an impressive range of new homes, our development will provide a range of economic benefits for the local Penicuik area that includes supporting around 120-160 jobs per year of construction, as well as the attraction of new customers to local businesses.
Later this year, CALA and Avant Homes will bring forward an application for a further 550 homes in the north of Penicuik. Construction work will be ongoing in the town until at least 2030.
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