The development will deliver 28 high-quality mid-market rent homes through Melville’s Ironmills subsidiary, the first mid market homes built by Ironmills in almost 15 years. The homes will include a carefully designed mix of terraced houses, cottage flats and a flatted block, creating a varied and welcoming community.

Built to high standards of sustainability and accessibility, the homes reflect Melville and McTaggart Construction’s shared commitment to providing energy-efficient, affordable housing that meets real local need.

Neil Edgar, Development Manager at Melville, said:

“This is a key milestone for Melville and for the wider Easthouses community. There is strong demand for mid-market rent homes, and these 28 properties — the first built for our Ironmills subsidiary in almost 15 years — will provide high-quality, energy-efficient homes in an area that has already benefited from significant regeneration.

We’re pleased to be working in partnership with McTaggart Construction to deliver homes that support the long-term future of the community.”

John Allan, Construction Director at McTaggart Construction, added:

“It’s great to be breaking ground on this development. The former Newbattle High School site has already seen tremendous investment in recent years, and these 28 homes will be a meaningful addition to the transformation of the area. We’re looking forward to delivering homes the community can be proud of.”

Supporting the Local Community

As work progresses, McTaggart Construction will work closely with nearby Easthouses Primary School to deliver a programme of community benefit activities. Pupils will have opportunities to take part in educational site visits, career talks and hands-on learning experiences linked to construction and the built environment.

The project team will maintain close liaison with the school to ensure works are carefully managed while creating valuable learning opportunities.

In addition, the development will provide structured employment and training opportunities, with targeted recruitment and partnership working to help maximise skills and job prospects locally.

Completing the Regeneration

The Easthouses development forms part of the wider regeneration of the former Newbattle High School grounds. The site has already seen the delivery of 90 Passivhaus social homes and the new Easthouses Primary School. These 28 homes will complete the transformation, helping to bring the area fully to life as a thriving, mixed community.

The contract was awarded through the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s H2 New Build Housing framework. The wider project team includes Hardies Chartered Surveyors, Smith Scott Mullan architects, and Bayne Stevenson as civil and structural engineers.