Project details
- Client
- East Lothian Council I & H Brown JLL
- Location
- East Lothian, Scotland
- Duration
- 2017 – Ongoing
- Capability
- Environment
- Companies involved
- Hargreaves Strategic Land · Hargreaves Development
The transformation of a former open-cast mine into a sustainable new town is undoubtedly an ambitious vision, but one that Hargreaves is successfully bringing to life in Scotland.
Blindwells in East Lothian, is a flagship development that has already delivered more than 500 new homes.
In 2017, Hargreaves secured planning consent for 1,600 new homes at Blindwells, including 480 affordable homes together with education facilities, a healthcare hub, local retail outlets and the many other services needed to establish a thriving new community. The masterplan set out an integrated, creative solution for an area long identified for new homes in the East Lothian Local Plan.
Since then, with Hargreaves working as master developer, Blindwells has taken shape and today represents one of Scotland’s most significant new communities. Considerable investment in earthworks and new infrastructure has helped to facilitate residential land sales to a range of housebuilders.
Bellway is delivering a collection of three, four and five-bedroom homes at Prince’s Gate. Cruden Homes has completed 60 high quality social rental properties, now managed by East Lothian Council. Persimmon’s £28 million development, The Earls, comprises of 197 new homes, including 30 properties for social housing. And Ogilvie Homes has delivered 77 homes at Winton Park, 23 of which are affordable.
Avant Homes are currently onsite developing their Althamer View scheme which comprises a mix of private and affordable homes and Places for People are developing 93 homes for private sale and 42 affordable rented homes.
With the residential component well underway, and the opening of Blindwells Primary School in 2025, attention is now turning to the next chapter for Blindwells: a vibrant new town centre at the heart of the development.
In March 2026 Hargreaves secured planning consent for the development of a mixed-use town centre designed to support a sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood – somewhere residents can work, rest and play without needing to travel far from home.
The proposals include a range of retail units to accommodate services such as cafes, shops, a hairdresser, pharmacy and other everyday town centre uses, alongside a local supermarket and a wellbeing facility with potential gym and community space.
Alongside the retail and leisure offer, the plans will bring forward Class 4 business space, ground floor office accommodation and trade units, together with further affordable homes and private residential apartments overlooking Princes Loch. Parking provision, including EV charging, has been designed to support sustainable modes of travel such as walking and cycling, in keeping with the 20-minute neighbourhood principle at the heart of the masterplan.
“This is a hugely exciting time for Blindwells. We've already delivered over 500 new homes and pleased to see a burgeoning community developing at Blindwells. The opening of the Primary school was a major milestone and the creation of the Town Centre is the next natural step in that story. It's about giving residents the shops, workspace and amenities to match the pace of what's already been built, all within walking distance of home.”
For more information on Blindwells, please click here.
