New affordable homes planned for former Newbattle High School site

An artist's impression of the proposed new homes on the former Newbattle High School site.

Midlothian Council has lodged two planning applications for the former Newbattle High School site, at Easthouses.

One is for 98 council houses with a second one for 36 homes which are expected to be taken on as social housing.

The local authority built 1,083 homes between 2008 and 2018 with the latest development part of its pledge to build 1,000 more in the coming years.

The former school site marked in red, with the new school pictured on the right.

The design statement for the new housing estate says “all houses are to be social rent and designed to achieve high levels of sustainability including Passive House attributes”.

“A mixture of one bedroom flats, two, three and four-bedroom houses and accessible bungalows is to be provided in high quality and environmentally sustainable dwellings. All ground floor types to be designed for older/ambulant disabled users, and wheelchair access to be provided to all two storey houses.”

To the south of the proposed site construction is already underway on a further 79 social housing units which were granted planning permission two years ago. And approval for a new primary school to the north of the site has already been granted.

The design statement for the new housing development says it has been created to provide a sustainable residential area with a wide variety of open space in “an area that needs to be reactivated following the demolition of the former Newbattle High School”.

It said: “This will create a positive impact on the local community by providing safe, affordable, well-built and attractive housing for existing local residents with a well-considered streetscape in terms of safe pedestrian connections, appropriate levels of car parking and high-quality landscaping.

“A mix of dwelling sizes and types offers housing suitable for a variety of potential residents including individuals or couples, older people and families, including those with special needs.”

Construction of the new Newbattle Community Campus was completed in May 2018, with the school moving from its previous location and opening in the new campus on June 5, 2018.