THE first of a batch of 60 affordable homes at Blindwells should be complete within a year.

Cruden Homes will start on the site – between Tranent and Port Seton – this month, with dozens of affordable homes being built on behalf of East Lothian Council.

The project, which comprises 32 houses and 28 cottage flats, will take about 20 months to complete, with the first phase of homes due in the spring of next year.

The mix of terraced and semi-detached properties will be predominantly two-storey and available to rent upon completion.

Iain Slater, development and estates director at Hargreaves Land, which is behind the overall Blindwells project, outlined progress was being made on the site – previously an opencast mine.

He said: “Good-quality affordable housing is in short supply in East Lothian, so we are incredibly pleased to be making it available here at Blindwells.

Progress continues to be made on building houses at Blindwells

Progress continues to be made on building houses at Blindwells

“We have recently welcomed Bellway to site and work is progressing well on their Prince’s Gate scheme, whilst excellent progress is being made on a number of other elements of the scheme.

“Affordable housing has always been an important aspect of the development, but to be able to announce that we will have homes available for occupation at Blindwells as early as spring next year, is fantastic news.”

Discussions around the transformation of Blindwells into a new town have been ongoing for more than a decade.

Currently, there is outline planning permission for 1,600 homes.

Hargreaves’ proposals also include education facilities, a healthcare hub, local retail outlets and a range of other services to help establish a new community.

Further plans, potentially doubling the number of homes on the site, are in the early stages.

Progress continues to be made on building houses at Blindwells

Progress continues to be made on building houses at Blindwells

Douglas Proudfoot, East Lothian Council’s executive director for place, said: “Blindwells is a key development for East Lothian as it will provide not just much-needed new homes but also new employment and commercial space, as well as education, community and healthcare facilities and transport, public transport and other infrastructure.

“As part of our planning process, we work with partners to incorporate an affordable housing element in any new development, proportionate to the overall number of new homes being delivered.

“This phase of the Blindwells development will deliver 60 new council houses.”

In February, Hargreaves Land exchanged a conditional sale contract with Persimmon for a 12.9-acre plot, where there is capacity for a further 192 homes, including another 30 affordable homes.

Fraser Lynes, of Cruden Homes, added: “We are very proud to be delivering much-needed affordable housing at Blindwells.”