Jencks View
- housing for seniors -
The seven new houses at Jencks View Kirknewton have been developed by KCDT to allow aging villagers to remain within their community.
The houses
The houses are two-bedroom, low-energy, and accessible bungalows sited on land purchased at full market price from West Lothian Council situated at the eastern end of Main Street, Kirknewton. The construction was a massive project for KCDT, and required a lot of hard work and dedication - in particular from one volunteer director and the KCDT Finance Officer. The houses are designed to near Passivhaus standard and were built using a Scottish “Modern Method of Construction” utilising factory made, heavily insulated panels that were assembled as “kit” on the site. The structure has much lower embodied energy than traditional building methods commonly used. The houses are all electric, utilise solar energy, are super-insulated with triple glazing, and have a ventilation system with heat recovery to minimize energy costs. KCDT hopes to retrofit air-source Heat Pumps and as of March 2026 have a potential donor from whom we are waiting for a final decision. The architect and contract administrator for this project was Ewan Robertson, who has issued a Certificate of Completion to Colorado in June 2026, which signifies that all the snagging matters, reported before the end of the snagging period, have been resolved.
The residents
Community consultation undertaken by KCDT identified the need to retain older villagers, or those experiencing increasing needs, in the area. Handover to the first occupants took place in July 2025. The consultation revealed that Kirknewton residents were sometimes required to move from this community due to the death of a spouse or increasing infirmity resulting in dislocation from their friends and their community. Legislation on managing affordable homes requires a social landlord being in place. For the Jencks View houses this is Horizon Housing Association, who manage the day-to-day affairs of the properties. It is important to point out that under the tenancy contract KCDT cannot have direct involvement, and all issues and concerns should be discussed directly with Horizon, who have the expertise and responsibility to deal with these. KCDT will only become involved if a matter arises to which Horizon believes KCDT should/could contribute. If houses become available, the application process will be managed by Horizon. Occupants are selected using a number of criteria based on age (over 55 years of age), level of need for support, and local connections.
The finances
The development was financed through a number of channels including a major Scottish Government Grant under the Rural Housing Initiative, funds from the Ecology Building Society, a 40 year mortgage, capital reserves of KCDT totalling around £150K, The Coram Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation, Ballindoun Fund, Peterkin & Kidd, and charitable donations from a Kirknewton resident. Furthermore, KCDT already owned the land through a partial grant from the Scottish Land Fund. The project has cost nearly £2.3 million overall. The rent from residents is used to cover the mortgage, a portion is retained for repairs and maintenance, and Horizon charge a management fee.
