A SOON-TO-BE completed housing development in Innerleithen is in the running to collect two major awards.

Developer Whiteburn has been shortlisted in the Show Home of the Year category at the Scottish Home Awards 2020 for its viewing property at Caerlee Mill.

And its two-bedroom Walker-style houses on the site have made the shortlist for Starter Home of the Year.

Whiteburn was granted planning permission to develop the former mill site with 44 homes almost two years ago.

Work is nearing completion on the mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and cottage flats.

Toria Jones, sales manager at Caerlee Mill, is delighted that the company’s heritage approach to furnishing the on-site show home has been appreciated by judges at the Awards.

She said: “When it was operational Caerlee Mill made knitwear products and was instrumental in local skills.

“So in order to recognise the development’s unique past, we commissioned Scottish based makers, art and furniture providers to hand-make and upcycle feature pieces that now sit alongside new furniture and fittings.

“Our approach aims to echo our brand values of regeneration and sustainability and our buyers are loving the look, style and feel that we have created with three customers already asking us for details of our suppliers so they can recreate the looks in their own homes.

“As we approach the final stages of the competition, we hope the judges will recognise the way that we have combined new and old to create something really quite different for buyers to consider.”

The housing types at the Caerlee site also reflect the mill’s heritage, having been named after previous owners, as well as taking architectural influence from the historic buildings.

And the open-plan living and maximisation of natural daylight have also won favour with Scottish Homes Awards judges.

Toria added: “Every home, including the starter Walker home, which has been shortlisted in the Starter Home of the Year, is designed on the same principles and includes the same specification of the larger homes that are available at Caerlee Mill.

“This ensures that buyers enjoy the same level of detail regardless of the type of home they choose to live in – which is great news for buyers considering the Walker house style.

“Roofs are built to echo the saw tooth pitches of the former mill buildings and a simple pallet of clay stock brick, render sale and zinc create a contemporary exterior that links to the previous industrial use of the site.”

Future plans for the neighbouring B-listed Brodie’s Mill, which dates back to 1778, are still being considered.

And discussions are continuing with representatives who hope to turn the building into a mountain-bike innovation centre.

Whiteburn’s managing director Eve McCurrich is pleased the Caerlee development has won favour with Scottish Home Awards judges.

She added: "It’s great to be shortlisted for two awards in this year’s Scottish Home Awards.

“We’ve had phenomenal interest in the homes we are building at Caerlee Mill, and we are looking forward to more new residents moving in this month – so there’s a real sense of excitement as our vision for the former mill takes more positive steps forward.”