East Lothian Council's Planning Committee has recommended refusing a major residential and commercial development proposed by Mactaggart & Mickel Homes.

The Committee met remotely on Tuesday 10th January to consider a number of applications, including a new primary school at Whitecraig and new houses and business units at Windygoul, Tranent.

The committee heard that a public consultation had taken place on the plans for the new Whitecraig Primary School & Nursery, which will be built on land including the site of the current school. The new building will be an eight classroom primary school with integrated Early Years Centre. The proposed new school would replace and expand the existing school to accommodate growth in the area, as well as enhancing community facilities. The building could increase its capacity to 10 classrooms over time. The new school will also feature a multi-purpose hall and resource centre as well as playgrounds, an artificial sports pitch, car parking, electric vehicle chargers, cycle shelters, play equipment and landscaping. Committee members voted unanimously to approve the application.


Planners had recommended refusal of an application from Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd to build 171 houses, 24 flats and 14 business units on land between Elphinstone Road and the Windygoul South site currently being developed by Walker Homes, Tranent, as the council's Local Development Plan designates the site for business use only. Following a debate, councillors unanimously agreed to refuse permission. Committee members also passed a motion to write to Scottish Government Ministers to ask for support in protecting areas allocated by the local authority for business use. The motion was proposed by Councillor McGinn and seconded by Councillor McMillan.

Committee members also unanimously approved details provided by Inch Cape Offshore Ltd of the size, type and location of buildings on the former Cockenzie Power Station site, for which they already have planning consent. A condition of the consent was that these details would be brought before Planning Committee before construction could begin. The buildings relate to the Inch Cape offshore windfarm and consist of onshore cables and a substation.

The relevant application numbers are: Tranent, 18/00109/PM; Whitecraig, 22/00180/PM and Cockenzie, 22/00992/AMM and 21/01474/PPM.