Monday July 21st 2025
Specialist housing complex, Normandy Court, used for Council meetings whilst work is being done on HQ
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
The public will be barred from attending Midlothian council meetings in person for the nearly two years as a £12.6million refit is carried out at its headquarters.
Council meetings will be held in a specialist housing complex in Dalkeith while work on the HQ is carried out. But while all ‘public’ meetings will be broadcast live on the internet or recorded and made public afterwards, people will not be able to go along.
A council spokesperson said a lack of space in the temporary room being used to replace the council chamber means it will not be possible for the public to attend.
They said: “Public webcast access will remain the same for council meetings so people will be able to watch webcast meetings either live or a recording afterwards. However, because of space constraints, the public won’t be able to attend in person.
“This setup is intended to continue until the work is completed, currently anticipated to be March 2027.”
Councillors approved plans to refurbish the Dalkeith headquarters on Buccleuch Street at a private meeting in November last year. The cost was revealed in the budget papers released in February this year as £12.6 million.
It said the retrofit of the building will be ‘fully funded’ by ‘prudential borrowing’.
Midlothian House is closing over the summer with staff moving to alternative bases or working from home. Council meetings are scheduled to be held in Normandy Court from next month when elected members return from summer recess.
Normandy Court was initially built as a 56-bed care facility for the elderly on the site of the old Dalkeith High School, however Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership, which would have provided care at the site withdrew from the project after the council cut its budget leaving them unable to afford it.
Instead it was turned into 38 amenity flats for over 55s from the council’s social housing list.
The council spokesperson said: “Midlothian House is closing for around 18-20 months from the end of August for external repairs and changes to the ground floor.
“After the summer recess, council meetings will move to available space in a separate part of the building to the amenity housing at Normandy Court, on the site of the old Dalkeith High School.
“Every effort will be made to minimise disruption during this period as all council staff and their visitors are expected to follow protocols to maintain a safe and respectful environment for all residents.”
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