LOVELL Partnerships has handed over the first of 39 new social rented homes to Melville Housing Association in Midlothian.
Construction work began at the Oakwood Edge development near Dalkeith in spring 2023. The mixed tenure site will have 156 new homes in a range of styles, including two, three, and four-bedroom houses and bungalows.
Mum-of-three Linda Millar is among the first families to move in. Linda’s new three-bedroom home features an open-plan kitchen/dining room and solar panels to help reduce energy bills. Each new tenant will be gifted with an air fryer from Lovell on move-in day to further reduce bills.
Linda Millar said, “We love our new home. It’s bright with the big windows, there’s lots of storage and plenty of space for us. Being able to stay in the area was really important for me and my children so that we could be close to our friends and family and the area we know. We’re grateful to Lovell and Melville Housing Association for building a great place to live.”
Sarah Freel, head of partnerships for Lovell in Scotland, added, “Oakwood Edge is a fantastic place for families and welcoming new residents is always a very special time for our team. As a partnership housebuilder, we’re proud to be working with Melville Housing Association to deliver these high-quality new homes which will contribute towards tackling the housing shortage in the local area as well as supporting the local economy, creating jobs and training opportunities.”
Neil Edgar, Melville Housing development manager, commented, “There’s a huge demand for high-quality, affordable homes in Midlothian, just as there is across Scotland, so these new houses at Oakwood Edge are a very welcome boost to the local area. We’ve not worked with Lovell for quite some time and we’ve been very pleased with how things have gone so far.
“It’s also important to stress that projects like this would not be possible without funding from the Scottish Government and the help of our partners. If we’re to make further inroads into tackling the national housing crisis, then we must all continue to work together in the coming years.”
