Members of East Lothian Council’s planning committee met to discuss a series of applications. Nine committee members agreed with the planning officials’ recommendation to refuse the Kingslaw proposal as it would result in the loss of land zoned for employment use.

Committee members then voted unanimously to agree to minor changes to planning permission previously granted for the development of 82 homes at the Letham Mains site in Haddington. The changes did not affect the number of homes being built but a few changes were made to the layout of the site and orientation of some of the homes.

Members also unanimously agreed to the renewal of planning permission for the construction and operation of a treatment plant involving a series of storage and treatment tanks together with lagoons, reed beds and associated infrastructure at Dunbar Landfill Site, Innerwick.

The final application referred to the construction of a house and garage within the garden ground of Kiloran, a detached house in the countryside just outside Ormiston. The application was called off the scheme of delegation by Councillor John McMillan as he believed there may be a gap in existing planning policy to allow for development if it meant someone with health issues could stay in their own home.

The report recommended refusal of the application on the grounds that the proposed development was contrary to the Development in the Countryside policy (Policy DC1), the vehicle access was unsuitable for increased traffic and that the site was within a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area and a Coal Mining Risk Assessment Report had not been submitted by the applicant.

Committee members heard the new house was for family members to live on site to help provide round-the-clock care for a relative. Whilst expressing sympathy with the applicant’s circumstances, members raised concerns in relation to Policy DC1, road safety issues, and the lack of a Coal Mining Risk Assessment Report. The application was refused after a vote of seven against the application and four for approval.