The development has already delivered over 650 new homes, shops and business space, extensive parks and recreation space and a canal-side marina. Three new state-of-the-art schools are also well advanced in a large school campus next to extensive parkland.

The new junction will unlock the final delivery of the Winchburgh masterplan which, when complete, will see at least 3,800 new homes, improved transport links, and a minimum of 40-acres of employment land created.

Now the government is processing the ‘Made Road Orders’ which is the final administrative step in allowing the motorway junction work to proceed. It marks a major milestone in the evolution of Winchburgh, with work to develop the historic mining village first taking off in 2012.

The news comes as Winchburgh also announced a sixth homebuilder has begun work on site. Taylor Wimpey has joined Bellway, CALA, Barratt, Robertson and J Smart & Co to deliver a wide range of quality new homes. From one-bedroom canal-side apartments to six-bedroom family houses, the new properties in Winchburgh have already seen exceptional demand, appealing to a variety of different homebuyers.

Construction on the M9 is expected to begin in February 2022 with the junction due to open at the end of 2022. The junction will be formed by constructing four new slip roads centred around the existing underpass below the motorway. Served by a fully upgraded core road, it will connect the town centre with the southern roundabout at the new M9 junction.

John Hamilton, chief executive, Winchburgh Developments Ltd, commented: “The new junction has been a core element of the Winchburgh masterplan since its inception. Historically, transport connectivity has been heavily constrained by a motorway network that completely bypassed the village. This development will be transformational in improving journey times to and from Edinburgh and the Lothians for residents, businesses and visitors.”

As part of the planning conditions, no more than 1,000 residential units could be occupied in Winchburgh until the new M9 junction was complete. Now that the junction has been given the go-ahead, the final phases of the masterplan can progress.