A landmark has been reached in the Greenlaw Mill saga after a section 75 agreement was signed, bringing the development closer to reality.
Two years after the council gave planning permission for 458 dwellings north of Greenlaw Mains, Penicuik, the council and Taylor Wimpey have agreed the terms of the mandatory section 75 legal agreement.
The legal agreement, which sets the developer’s contributions to the council for infrastructure, the education provision etc., will now be registered with the Scottish Land Registry, a task that could take several months under the new registration system.
Once registered, the developer will be able to commence construction. Unofficial estimates suggest that construction could commence by the end of Spring, or start of Summer, with the first property erected by August. Phase one of the project will see a row of houses constructed behind the current homes on Boyd-Orr Drive.
Pauline Mills, Land and Planning Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland said:
We are pleased to confirm that our Section 75 agreement has reached a finalised form with Midlothian Council, with all terms agreed.
The change in legislation through the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 2012 has amended the way in which any deed, including Section 75 agreements, are registered with Registers of Scotland.
We now have to follow this new system with the Registers of Scotland, and in fact we believe Greenlaw Mill to be one of the first Section 75 agreements which will go through the new registration process.
This is a new process, where timescales are unclear, and therefore we are unable to speculate on how long it may take to reach a final conclusion and when the Council will be able to issue our planning consent. Neither we nor the Council have any influence over these timescales.
The house builder also refuted claims by a council source that a change in their legal team in 2012 had delayed proceedings further.
Believed to be included in the legal agreement is a significant dedication of funds to the construction of a roundabout on the A702. This major improvement to the trunk route could see months of delays for commuters. Transport Scotland are to impose strict timescales on the project to make sure the region keeps moving. Further funds will go to upgrading the road network surrounding the site, as well as paying for additional classrooms at Mauricewood Primary School.
Once on site work commences, the developer will be building in the town until 2028. A consortium of Cala and Bett Homes, along with MacTaggart and Mickel, are also expected to make an application later this year for new housing north of Rullion Road.
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