Crucial legal discussions between the Midlothian Council and Taylor Wimpey have failed to conclude in the reported six week period and will now continue into the new year.

Crunch talks to allow Taylor Wimpey to start the construction on 458 dwellings in the North West of Penicuik will go on well into the Winter, with no start date in site, The Penicuik Cuckoo has learned.

In October we reported that section 75 legal discussions were due to complete within “three to six weeks”. The council assigned estimate has now elapsed leaving the future of the development in question.

Midlothian Council were keen to stress that discussions were continuing. A spokesperson said:

The Council expects that the planning agreement in relation to the site at Greenlaw Mains, Penicuik will be completed shortly.

Once the agreement is completed this will allow for planning permission for the erection of 422 dwellinghouses and 36 flats to be issued.

Meanwhile Taylor Wimpey added:

Discussions are ongoing with Midlothian Council but we are not currently able to provide definite timescales for when activity will take place onsite

Section 75 legal discussions started in February 2013 after Midlothian Council “approved” the homebuilder’s application for the allocated housing land north of Greenlaw Mains One. However twenty-one months on, the agreement, which sets forth the developer’s contributions to education, the economy and infrastructure, is yet to be signed. When an agreement is reached, Taylor Wimpey will be free to start construction of the 458 dwellings. Phase one will erect a row of homes behind existing properties along Boyd-Orr Drive. A vegetation “buffer” will be created for privacy. Seventy homes will be constructed in the initial phase, which will likely take one to two years to complete. A further six phases will then follow, eventually completing in 2028.

Information, provided by Taylor Wimpey, gives an approximation of the terms of agreement. It states that Taylor Wimpey will spend £1.2m to construct a new roundabout on the A702 connecting the trunk road to Mauricewood Road. Furthermore £2.7m will go to the Education provision, funding a two classroom extension of Mauricewood Primary, along with minor improvements to Beeslack CHS. A final £1.7m will go to other community facilities, although no funds will be donated to the Economy, as Wimpey will provide a “commercial zone” in the development.

Wimpey will face competition from a new housing consortium, comprised of Bett Homes, Cala Homes and MacTaggart and Mickel, who plan to erect over 500 homes north of Rullion Road. A planning application is expected from them by the year’s end.

What do you think? Are you glad work is not proceeding as yet or are you frustrated by the lack of progress? Let us know your view below or email us at Hello@PenicuikCuckoo.co.uk.