Monday August 17th 2026
New homes built for West Lothian Council at Winchburgh Grange (copyright: West Lothian Council)
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
West Lothian Council and local Registered Social Landlords have met the local target for the supply of new homes for rent in the county two years ahead of schedule.
The building target was to provide 1,621 additional affordable homes for social rent in West Lothian between 2023 and 2028.
The final 10 hand overs at Winchburgh Grange last month have seen this target reached early – a significant achievement in the midst of the housing emergency declared by West Lothian Council in 2024.
A further 356 homes across West Lothian are expected to complete by December 2027 exceeding the five year build target by 22%.
All homes have been built by developers securing employment opportunities for people in West Lothian. These homes will be provided by West Lothian Council or Registered Social Landlords.
In a report to the Housing Services PDSP Marjory Mackie, the council’s Housing Strategy & Development Manager said: “Feedback from residents has been extremely positive.”
A tenant who has recently moved into a new build home at Winchburgh Grange said: “Our new home has truly changed our lives in ways we never imagined. Our previous house simply wasn’t suitable for our family’s needs, and it brought a lot of daily stress and worry.
“Moving into this beautiful home, in such a lovely area, has given us the fresh start we desperately needed. For the first time in a long time, we feel settled, secure, and able to simply enjoy being together as a family. The difference it has made to our happiness and wellbeing is incredible, and we wake up every day feeling grateful. It’s not just a new house—it’s given us a better quality of life and a future we can look forward to.”
Ms Mackie said that future building would depend on government spending but baseline plans could be drawn up.
She added: The Scottish Government has recently confirmed the Resource Planning Assumptions for 2026/27 to 2029/30 which is positive and provides some indication of likely available grant funding in future years.
“This improves the position for longer term planning of delivery, however the likely available grant funding still falls short of the required funding to deliver all affordable housing projects which are coming forward for West Lothian. This remains a key risk in upscaling the delivery of additional affordable housing to meet ongoing high demand.”
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