AWARD-winning Dandara has hailed the transformational impact that new developments can have on communities, as work gathers pace at its latest site, The Pines, in Wallyford, East Lothian.
The housebuilder is delivering 87 private units in the rapidly growing village near Musselburgh. The homes comprise a mix of two, three, four, and five-bedroom properties. Dandara is one of several housebuilders operating in the region, with families attracted by amenities including a nearby school and train station, as well as easy connectivity into Edinburgh.
With so much competition, Tony Williamson, sales director at Dandara East Scotland, told Project Scotland that a major focus has been on setting the business apart from the other developers in the area.
A modern, contemporary look has been chosen for the homes with standout features including entrance canopies, flexible open plan living, patio doors, and glazed panels. Embracing the working from home trend, some of the house designs have incorporated a downstairs study, while flexibility is key, with spaces that could be used for anything from family living space to a zone for teenagers. Externally, huge importance has been placed on creating attractive street scenes.
“We want the experience to be that when someone gets out their car and arrives at the development, they can already see themselves living here,” Tony explained. “That goes for everything from the landscaping to trying to create that feeling which you may not get with some other competitors.”
Project Scotland received a tour of two luxury five-bedroom show homes – The Canna and Shetland house types – which were launched earlier this year. The properties have been created with families in mind and are designed to flow in a way that encourages social interaction.
Dandara has a target exit date at The Pines of June 2027. Five of the homes are already occupied, with a further 15 sold to date.
The site benefited from a short period of off plan selling, which helped to generate early interest.
As a business, Dandara currently has bases in Scotland, England, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Recent Scottish sites have included Eskbank Gardens in Dalkeith, Hazelwood and The Grange in Aberdeen, and Foxhall Gait in Kirkliston.
In terms of approach to development, Tony said the ethos is looking at design, placemaking, and setting the firm apart from the mainstream. He spoke of his pride at being able to take homebuyers on a journey through one of the most important purchases of their lives.
“Dandara as a brand has been hugely focused on quality,” Tony explained. “Currently, we’re the highest rated Scottish housebuilder on Trustpilot and something we are hugely proud of. A lot of people look online to get a feel for a builder first, before even looking (at homes). It’s about trying to give a really good quality experience for the customer. It’s the whole journey that we’re hugely focused on.”
Sustainability is an area of growing importance. Dandara recently published its first ESG report showcasing the progress being made to reduce its environmental impact and benefit communities.
Tony revealed that while location and affordability remain the two key priorities for buyers, the environment is increasingly at the forefront of people’s minds, with green mortgages becoming more prevalent and a desire for features such as solar panels, EV charging points, and high-quality insulation to reduce heating costs. At The Pines, biodiversity features include bird and bat boxes, insect hotels, and even hedgehog highways!
Dandara has a keen desire to work with local businesses. One partnership in Wallyford with a nearby garden centre has resulted in a tree and garden utilities presented to every homebuyer when they purchase a property at The Pines.
“Those little things people do value,” Tony added. “We’re committed to engaging with local businesses. While new builds can sometimes attract negative press, they also present valuable opportunities for the local economy. It’s all about meaningful engagement and working together to make the most of those opportunities.”
Other local projects have included sponsoring youth sports teams, foodbank donations, and charity initiatives. A team of cyclists were kitted out in Dandara-branded jerseys as they embarked on the Doddie’s Grand Tour 2025 cycle to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. All employees have in their contracts the opportunity to spend two working days per year carrying out volunteer work.
Regarding the transformational impact of new developments, Tony highlighted the investment in Wallyford which has resulted in a new school campus, community centre, and local jobs.
“I’ve seen this time and time again throughout my career,” he continued. “It’s a breath of fresh air and a lease of new life for the area.”
Those local jobs include opportunities for companies in the Dandara supply chain, with the firm keen to utilise contractors within a certain radius of where it builds.
Stuart Dallas, head of construction for Dandara in Scotland, revealed most subcontractors operating at The Pines have worked on previous Dandara developments.
The business hosts Subcontractor of the Month Awards, voted for by all staff members. The last winner, JJ Plumbing, hails from Wallyford.
In an industry grappling with labour shortages, strong relationships and a reliable supply chain have never been so vital.
“There’s a feel-good factor about the development,” Stuart said. “When we broke ground back in April, we gave a lot of thought to the welfare and car parking set-up. We’ve got breakout areas and picnic benches. We want to get that feel that when they come on to the site, it’s well-managed, it’s clean, it’s tidy, it’s a place people want to come and work – this helps us retain good contractors.
“The contractors we had involved in the showhomes for Plot 1 are still the same contractors working on Plot 28 today, nine months later. When you can keep that consistency, it really helps with that team ethos.”
Stuart, who began his construction career as an apprentice joiner, revealed the business is ‘avidly’ pushing its subcontractors to embrace apprenticeships. Most of the larger ones have the capacity for that and there are many apprentices operating on Dandara sites across the UK.
Stuart joined Dandara three years ago as contracts manager before being promoted to head of construction 18 months ago. Echoing what Tony said, he emphasised the importance of delivering a positive experience for the entire client journey, from the moment a potential buyer walks through the door right through to reservation, demonstration, keys handover, and even afterwards when visits take place to check everything is as it should be once a buyer has moved in.
“We’re not just building houses, we’re building communities and building futures for families,” Stuart said. “We’ve got a great team at Dandara that we’ve developed over the last three years with regards to site managers, assistant site managers, labourers and forklift drivers. It’s a good team and a pleasure to work with.”
