Property entrepreneur Ken Ross has acquired Hallhill Developments, the company behind a large development beside the A1 at Dunbar which extends to more than 400 acres and includes residential, commercial, retail, recreational and educational uses.
The price paid by the property developer was not disclosed.
Hallhill has been developing in Dunbar for more than two decades.
The development, which has a focus on sustainability, is around The DunBear, a five-metre-high sculpture of a brown bear.
The DunBear was designed by renowned Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, who designed The Kelpies, near Falkirk.
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Since work began on site in 1999, the Hallhill development has delivered more than 1,500 homes, either built or under construction. Around 250 of these are affordable family homes.
The Hallhill development is also the location for Dunbar Primary School’s primary four to seven classes, playing fields, an Asda supermarket, a garden centre, a hotel, a pub-restaurant, and a McDonald’s drive-through restaurant.
Hallhill also gifted 15 acres of land, which now hosts the Healthy Living Centre, a community sports hub which is home to most of the sports clubs in the town.
Land was also provided to East Lothian Council to deliver the primary school. In addition, more than 50 acres of woodland has been transferred by Hallhill to the local community Woodland Trust.
The company flagged an independent economic assessment by Mackay Consulting in 2018, which it said had identified that more than 600 jobs had been created by the Hallhill development, with in excess of £30 million contributed to the local economy every year.
Since the development began, the population of Dunbar has increased from around 8,500 to 14,400.
Mr Ross said: “I am delighted to have completed the purchase of the Hallhill Developments Ltd. I am proud to have worked at Dunbar for many years and now look forward to continuing to deliver and complete the works started by the previous owners.
“Hallhill has proven to be highly successful, creating a location where people want to work, live and play. The development provides a superb range of homes, including affordable homes, excellent educational facilities, road infrastructure and sporting facilities.
“By increasing the population of Dunbar through new homes, we have been able to generate the vital investment required to deliver the facilities the community desires, ensuring their continued sustainability.”
He added: “I look forward to developing further at Hallhill, delivering a sustainable development that will address climate change and the needs of the community.”
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