Redevelopment of Herdmanflat

The council purchased the former hospital site from NHS Lothian in April 2020, with support from the Scottish Government, as part of it's efforts to increase the supply of sustainable affordable housing in East Lothian. 

The proposals have been developed to address ever changing needs, allowing council tenants to age in place and live more independently within short walking distance of Haddington’s existing health facilities and the Town Centre. Every home has been designed to be easily adapted for wheelchair access in the future if required.

National and Local Policy Objectives 

The Herdmanflat masterplan achieved planning consent in August 2024. 

What is a masterplan? 

A masterplan describes how an area will be developed using text and three dimensional images. It describes and maps the overall concept of a development, including the use of land, urban design, landscaping, built form, infrastructure and service provision. For example, it might show which trees are to be protected, where the roads must go and how high the buildings are allowed to be. 

The Herdmanflat masterplan is fully reflective of the requirements of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), and the commitment to bringing forward affordable housing set out the in Local Housing Strategy 2024-29.  More detail on how we have considered NPF4 Policy Requirements can be found here. 

The approved Masterplan seeks to meet collective ambitions to reduce inequalities over the longer term, deliver affordable housing that promotes independence and ageing in place, to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing efforts to promote healthier more active lives, and by offering council tenants the opportunity to receive care in a more appropriate, homely, community setting should the need ever arise. More detail on the policy considerations can be found here.

Meeting the Demand for Housing 

With over 4600 applicants on the Councils housing list, of which over 1300 are over 55 (October 2024), our plans to redevelop the former Herdmanflat Hospital to provide age restricted housing for older people will be one of the most impactful affordable housing projects to be proposed by East Lothian Council.

Place-based Approach and 20 minute neighbourhoods 

The application is supported by detailed surveys and reports which reflect the importance of each of these, with the masterplan developed to ensure the Councils legacy offers significant improvement on what exists there today.

Our consideration of Place will ensure more people can safely access and enjoy the woodland walks with active travel and 20 minute neighbourhood considerations promoting better connectivity.

What is a 20 minute neighbourhood? 

A 20 minute neighbourhood is a way to support local living. It aims to ensure that residents can access the majority of their daily needs within a 20 minute walk, wheel, or cycle from home.

Parts of Herdmanflat already supported the 20 minute neighbourhoods concept, but the masterplan has introduced better connections with new entrances and paths that means more people in the area can now benefit from shorter walking times, with easier and quicker access to the Town Centre, and the Community Hospital. 

New social spaces and informal play areas have been included that promote intergenerational interaction within a safe, secure and well maintained environment.

Tree retention, reduced car parking, proximity to public transport and local services, and the construction of low carbon housing will collectively reduce carbon emissions, assist with the delivery of the Councils Climate Change Strategy and its ambitions to achieve net zero.

Biodiversity

Extensive surveys and investigations have determined the ecological value of the site with mitigation and improvement measures proposed that will enhance the ecology, fauna and wildlife species that exist today. More information on how biodiversity has been considered can be found here. 

Community Consultation 

We have responded in detail to concerns raised by the community, engaging  with the Community Council and Haddington Central Tenants and Residents Association on a number of occasions.

The masterplan seeks to increase the amount of accessible and useable greenspace and community growing opportunities in the area, providing enhanced health and wellbeing benefits for the people that will live there and for the people we hope to attract from the surrounding communities – including those living with mobility challenges that currently can’t visit the site.       

Concerns have been listened to, resulting in meaningful changes being made. This is fully documented in the Community Consultation Feedback report submitted in support of the planning application which can be found here.