To mark the significant milestone, Craig Ormond, director of Mac Mic Group, hosted a small gathering attended by representatives from the local community, Midlothian Council, Danderhall & District Guerrilla Gardeners, and Newton Parish Church.

The design of the new Hub draws inspiration from the architectural style of the original steading building and seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape. Employing high-quality materials, the Hub features a natural slate roof and an entrance archway constructed from recycled sandstone from the original steading building.

Embracing the principles of sustainability, the Millerhill Community Hub proudly boasts an ‘A+’ net zero Energy Performance Rating. This achievement stems from the incorporation of air source heat pump technology and high-performance modern insulation, far surpassing current building standards. As a consequence, the Hub will enjoy significantly reduced energy consumption and lower energy bills.

The Hub’s versatile interior layout, designed with input from community members, includes a kitchen area, a meeting room, and flexible spaces that can be effortlessly adapted to accommodate the diverse needs of the community. The exterior grounds provide seating, landscaped areas, a community garden with raised beds, and parking facilities.

Newton Parish Church, which currently operates a pop-up café in Millerhill, is in negotiations with Midlothian Council to secure a lease for a permanent location within the new community hub. Craig Ormond handed over a £500 donation from the Mac Mic Foundation to support the café’s set-up costs. 

He said: “This is a significant milestone for the people of Millerhill. The new Community Hub will provide the residents of today and tomorrow with a fantastic space to come together.

“We are delighted to support the establishment of a community café within the Hub with a donation from the Mac Mic Foundation.

“We are currently engaged in promising discussions with a potential operator for the retail building planned for the land adjacent to the new Hub. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to unveil the details of this much-needed retail outlet for the community.”

Erika Pryde of Newton Parish Church said: “Newton Church Fresh Expressions team would like to thank Mac Mic for the generous donation of £500. This will be used to kick start a community café in the new Hub, taking us indoors after many months of pop-up café in the Carbon Square.

“We look forward to making many cups of tea, coffee and hot chocolate alongside community volunteers bringing a much-needed meeting place to life for the people of Millerhill.”

The Millerhill development is part of the wider Shawfair masterplan conceived by Shawfair LLP to create a new town on Edinburgh’s doorstep. When completed, Shawfair will have 4,000 high quality homes, schools, offices, and retail outlets plus acres of landscaped outdoor space, sports pitches, and cycle paths.