Those behind the masterplan for Scotland’s fastest-growing town yesterday welcomed the Scottish Government’s housing minister Paul McLennan to explain how sustainable and community-led development can create family-friendly and affordable places with a good quality of living.

John Hamilton, CEO of Winchburgh Developments Ltd., the company behind the masterplan for the West Lothian former mining village that will grow from an estimated current population of 5,600 to 14,000 residents in the next decade, welcomed Paul McLennan MSP for a whistlestop tour.

The visit included a meeting with Rudo Madanhi, of Livingston Crescent — a resident of housing association Home in Scotland, which is a provider of the affordable housing in the Winchburgh development.

The pair toured the town, viewing developments led by the company such the new Winchburgh Marina, the M9 spur allowing quick and direct access to the town via the motorway, a state-of-the-art three-school campus, and an award-winning district park.

Mr Hamilton said: “It gave me great pleasure to meet Paul McLennan and to show him how we are carefully implementing the growth of a town that will meet the needs of its residents while also meeting head-on important national issues around affordable housing and sustainable development.”

Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “These new social rented homes in Winchburgh, West Lothian, will play a valuable role in boosting Scotland’s affordable housing supply. Everyone deserves a warm and safe place to call home and these high-quality, energy efficient properties will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come.”

Will Gardner, Executive Director of Asset and Development at Home in Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be a major provider of affordable housing on this site, as well as other sites within the Winchburgh development.

“This is a great opportunity for people to put down roots and help build a thriving new community in West Lothian. One of Home in Scotland’s core commitments is to deliver the right homes in the right places, and in Winchburgh we believe we are achieving that.

Phil Cooper, Land and Planning Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, adds: “We are proud to be playing our role in the delivery of the Winchburgh masterplan which includes the delivery of new homes, both private and affordable, for this growing and vibrant West Lothian community.  We have recently completed our Auldcathie View development overlooking the new district park, and work is well underway at our Seton Rise development just off Beatlie Road giving us continuity of build and underpinning our commitment to providing great places to call home.”

Last month, the opening of Winchburgh Marina took place, adjacent to the Union Canal and within Winchburgh’s emerging new town centre. Dubbed the “West Lothian Riviera”, the facility was unveiled as a flotilla of canal boats, e-boats, canoes, and paddleboards entered to a backdrop of bagpipes. Further plans are in place for Winchburgh’s water-based activities, with the former brick quarry in nearby Daisy Park set to be transformed into a leisure facility.

Winchburgh Developments Ltd is behind the development of one of the most ambitious placemaking projects in the UK. At the end of February, WDL was crowned Property Company of the Year at the prestigious Scottish Property Awards in recognition of its investment in the area and the significant development milestones it has achieved over the last 12 months with its “infrastructure-first” approach to community planning. The company was also runner-up for Regeneration Project of the Year for its work on Auldcathie District Park, the 85-acre greenspace was partly formed as part of a £6 million regeneration project.