THE developers behind the new town of Shawfair have committed to a ‘first of its kind’ Sustainable Growth Agreement (SGA) which they say will accelerate the delivery of a community that promotes wellbeing and healthy lifestyles.
The three-year agreement between Shawfair LLP, Midlothian Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) recognises the effective partnerships created through the planning process to date and identifies opportunities for increased collaboration in the future through ‘great design, a commitment to low carbon heating, sustainable working practices, and the promotion of active travel and healthy lifestyles’.
One of the key projects covered within the SGA is the planned delivery of a district heating system for Shawfair’s town centre, powered by surplus, zero-carbon heat from the adjacent Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre (RERC).
It is anticipated that all viable buildings in Shawfair town centre – including residential properties, businesses and community premises such as the proposed new community campus and health centre – will benefit from lower energy bills.
Ed Monaghan, a director of Shawfair LLP said, “Our ambition for our new town of Shawfair is to become a model for healthy living by creating a highly connected, sustainable environment and an attractive alternative to traditional suburbs. The SGA will accelerate our progress in this regard and we look forward to working even more closely with our partners to make Shawfair a fantastic place to live and work.”
Councillor Russell Imrie from Midlothian Council added, “Our desire is for Shawfair to become a model for sustainable development, where good ideas can flourish and where local people can benefit from excellent access to employment, public transport and local amenities.”
SEPA chief executive Terry A’Hearn commented, “At SEPA we’re focused on helping build an environmentally, socially and economically successful Scotland where communities and businesses thrive within the resources of our planet. We call this One Planet Prosperity. To achieve this we need to work in new, innovative ways with public and private sector partners. We’re delighted to be signing a Sustainable Growth Agreement with Shawfair and Midlothian Council and to be looking at opportunities to lock in sustainable development and living at this key location.”
