East Lothian Council unveils £220m housing and schools investment package

A significant package of capital investment in council housing and schools totalling more than £220 million is set to be delivered by East Lothian Council over the next five years.Almost £93m will be spent on new affordable council housing in addition to almost £60m on the modernisation of existing properties.New homes are expected to be completed at Haddington and Dunbar during 2018/19 with further developments planned for Prestonpans, Cockenzie, Aberlady, Gullane, Ormiston, Musselburgh and Haddington.The purchase of some homes for sale on the open market will also continue.Meanwhile, there will be a rolling programme of improvements to existing council houses. This includes refurbishments of bathrooms, kitchens and roofing and the installation of energy efficiency measures – in an effort to help reduce fuel poverty.Projects in the £227m package of investment in new, improved or expanded schools include:Around £7.9m for the extension of North Berwick High SchoolAround £8.8m for the extension of Ross High School, Tranent£34m for an additional secondary school to serve the Musselburgh areaAround £500,000 for a facilities upgrade at the existing Musselburgh Grammar SchoolAround £8.8m for the Letham Mains Primary School, HaddingtonAround £8.6m for the new Blindwells Primary SchoolAround £5.2m for an extension at Whitecraig Primary SchoolAround £3.3m for the extension of Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School and Early learning and Childcare CentreSpending has been earmarked for extensions at Dunbar, East Linton, Aberlady, Gullane. Elphinstone, Prestonpans Infants and Pencaitland Primary Schools and Preston Lodge High School, Prestonpans.There are also resources for ongoing extensions at Dunbar Grammar, Law Primary School and the construction of a new Wallyford Primary School, which are well underway.There is £300,000 for additional space at the Meadowpark Communications Provision, Knox Academy, Haddington. In addition, the council’s revenue budget allocates £225,000 of revenue expenditure between 2019-21 associated with Meadowpark.The investment figures in the budget reflect the total five-year capital value of the projects and developer contributions are sought where appropriate towards development costs.