General
Is this only open to people who own their own homes?▼
We want to hear from everyone. All property owners and social and private tenants can register an interest, as well as landlords. A landlord and tenant can both register interest separately for the same property.
How do I know if I live in the East Lammermuir Community Council area?▼
I live in Cove/Cockburnspath or outside the East Lammermuir area. Can this project apply to me?▼
At this time, properties must be within the East Lammermuir Community Council area. We hope that the scheme could be replicated in other community councils in the near future, but at the moment only homes in the East Lammermuir Community Council area can apply. We would still love to hear from you, so please send us an email at
ellen.abbi@lothianheat.org to let us know you are interested.
Who are Lothian Heat?▼
Lothian Heat CIC is a locally-based and community-owned Community Interest Company established by a team of local and international experts who believe affordable, community-owned heat is the way forward. The East Lammermuir Community Council has appointed Lothian Heat to plan and deliver the Warm Homes Project for the community as one of four community priorities set from the Local Place Plan.
Can landlords and tenants both register interest for the same property?▼
Absolutely. We want to hear from and engage with everyone in the East Lammermuir area.
What does this mean for me as a council tenant?▼
We want to hear from every East Lammermuir household, so please do register your interest. We are continuing to engage with East Lothian Council, who have shown early support for the project, and they will be a key partner as the scheme progresses.
What does this mean for me as a housing association tenant?▼
We want to hear from every East Lammermuir household, so please do register your interest. We are continuing to engage with housing associations who have shown early support for the project, and they will be key partners as the scheme progresses.
What does this mean for me as a private tenant?▼
We want to hear from every East Lammermuir household, so please do register your interest. We are also making contact with private landlords in the area and asking them to register their interest with us.
What does this mean for me as a private landlord?▼
All property owners and tenants can register an interest, including landlords.
I want to help get my neighbours involved too. How can I do this?▼
The Warm Homes project aims to make as big an impact as possible for East Lammermuir residents. Please encourage your friends and neighbours to register their interest too. We welcome anyone wanting to help get their community involved. Get in contact with Ellen, who is leading the project, at
ellen.abbi@lothianheat.org.
What sort of heat solutions will be on offer?▼
The Warm Homes Project is exploring a range of heat solutions, including a heat network for the Innerwick area, shared or communal heating solutions for small groups of homes such as steadings (for example through a shared ground-source heat pump), and individual air source heat pumps where communal solutions are not viable.
I have already installed an ASHP and my home is well insulated. Can I still benefit?▼
We want to ensure that everyone can benefit from the Warm Homes Project, whether you have already taken steps to improve the energy efficiency of your home or not. We are still in the process of establishing what this will look like, so please register your interest to make sure you don’t miss out when opportunities arise.
Financial and Funding
Is there financial help available now, while the project is still in development?▼
We are not currently offering additional financial help while the project is still in development. However, if you have concerns about your heating costs, please register and let us know, as this is useful information that helps inform the project’s direction.
Where is the funding for this project coming from?▼
The Warm Homes Project is funded by community benefits from local energy developments. East Lammermuir will receive over £4 million in the next few years for projects which the community has identified as a priority, which includes the Warm Homes Project.
How much help towards costs will be offered?▼
We are still in the early stages of planning the project and need to know how many people will be interested. Please register your interest today to stay informed about how the project progresses.
What level of subsidy from community benefits will I be eligible for? Will this be means tested?▼
We are still in the planning and development stage. The more people who register their interest, the better we will be able to plan and provide a range of heating and energy efficiency solutions. The proportion of community benefit funds available will respond to the level of demand, so we need everyone to register. We also want to make sure we are allocating funds fairly. Please register to be kept informed as the project progresses.
What will the cost to me likely be?▼
We are still in the planning and development stage. The more people who register their interest, the better we will be able to plan and select the best solution for each home. We also want to make sure we are allocating funds fairly. Please register to be kept informed as the project progresses.
How does this project link with other sources of support, such as Home Energy Scotland?▼
We are actively engaging with other sources of support, both locally and on a wider scale, including Home Energy Scotland, BeGreen in Dunbar, and the Citizens Advice Bureau energy team. We intend to use community benefit funds together with available grants and loans from other sources to ensure East Lammermuir residents get the maximum benefit.
Planning and Heritage
My home is a listed building or in a conservation area. Will it still be eligible?▼
Every home will be eligible for some level of support. Historic buildings are sometimes viewed as difficult to treat due to technical or planning considerations, but there are still opportunities to help keep your home warmer and make it more energy efficient.
Will help be provided for planning permission or listed building consents?▼
Yes. The project will assist with planning and heritage constraints through early and continuing positive engagement with East Lothian Council, who have shown early support for the project.
