Midlothian will have to put a ‘full’ sign up unless Scottish Government funds more infrastructure to support new housing targets, a councillor has warned.
Former council leader Derek Milligan, who is the Labour group leader, says the county cannot continue to provide housing sites to meet government targets without more investment.
And he has criticised the government for failing to meet promises which go back decades with the Sheriffhall bypass project stalled and a lack of investment in train services and buses.
Speaking after the council’s planning committee approved the addition of new sites onto a land shortlist last month, Councillor Milligan who spoke out against the additional housing, said it was not possible to keep building without improvements to roads and services.
He said: “If we carry on like this Midlothian is going to be full.”
The committee backed a shortlist of potential sites for thousands of new homes produced by officers following workshops with elected members and consultations.
Councillors were told the housing land supply available i n the county needed to be able to deliver 8,851 new homes in the next two years to meet targets but current estimates suggested it was falling nearly 2,000 units short.
Among sites added to the list were land at Melville Grange, near Dalkeith which could provide 900 new homes, land at Damhead for 400 new homes, a 300-unit site at Kippielaw, Easthouses and a potential 250 new homes at Barleyknowe, Gorebridge.
However Councillor Milligan said that without support from the government, the county would be unable to provide for the homes proposed and he raised concern that land which had, in the past, been identified for potential housing and them later rejected by developers remained on the supply list instead of making way for the new sites.
He said: “Since 2004 the infrastructure in Midlothian has not kept up with the growth. The government committed to Sheriffhall, that was back in 2003, in the Local Development Plan, we were also promised ,and do not have, the rolling stock on the Waverley line.
“The government continues to ask us to provide more land for housing supply with no funding to provide the infrastructure for people who move here, bus services are cut, it is impossible to get GP appointments, schools.
“Right across the board the essential infrastructure has not been increase but the Scottish Government insists there is a need for more housing.
“If we carry on like this Midlothian will be full. We need investment from government into our infrastructure before more housing demands are made.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our 2025-26 budget gave Midlothian Council a record £244 million of investment for public services, an increase of nearly 9% on the previous year.
“The grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout continues to progress through the statutory process. Construction of the proposed scheme can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory authorisation process. Only following completion of statutory consents can a programme be set for delivery of the proposed scheme.
“We have a strong track record of public investment in our railways. Replacing the oldest trains will be necessary to support continuation of rail services and to assist in achieving our aim of encouraging more people to use more public transport more often.”
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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