363 homes and local shops at Land South Of Whitecraig

What was proposed

The application proposed 339 houses, 24 flats, two retail or commercial units, roads, parking, paths, open space, play facilities and landscaping.

“Planning permission is sought through this application for the erection on the application site of 339 houses, 24 flats and associated works. The associated works include the formation of roads, footpaths and parking areas, the formation of areas of open space, the formation of a play area, the erection of boundary enclosures, and hard and soft landscaping.”

“The proposed development site layout plan shows how the proposed 339 houses and 24 flats and the 2 retail/commercial units would be accommodated on the site along with associated access roads, parking areas, landscaping, open space, paths and equipped play provision.”

Officer report

The site and its setting

The site was 16.63 hectares of agricultural land southwest of the village, beside existing homes, a school, recreation land, a railway walk and Salters Road.

“The application relates to some 16.63 hectares of agricultural land located immediately to the southwest of the village of Whitecraig. It is bounded to the northeast by a combination of Whitecraig Primary School, a recreation ground with playing fields and a play park, and existing residential properties of Whitecraig with surrounding areas of grassed open space. To the southeast the site is bounded by the Smeaton Railway Walk which is core path no.”

“The application site is allocated for a mixed-use development by Proposal MH13 (Land at Whitecraig South) of the adopted East Lothian Local Development Plan 2018. A small part of the application site at its northern side also forms part of Proposal MH15 (Whitecraig Primary School Expansion Land).”

Officer report

Consultation before the application

Two public consultation events were held before the application, and the submitted development was described as being of the same character as the consulted proposal.

“As a statutory requirement for major development proposals the residential development of this site was the subject of a Proposal of Application Notice (ref: 24/00001/PAN) and thus of community consultation prior to this application for planning permission being made to the Council. As an outcome of that and as a statutory requirement for dealing with major development type applications a pre-application consultation (PAC) report is submitted with this application.”

“2024. The PAC report informs that it is estimated that some 34 people attended the first public consultation event, and 2 people attended the second event. For the first public consultation event, a total of 12 feedback forms were received and for the second public consultation event 1 feedback form was received.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers found the allocated site suitable for the development and considered its design, housing, access, amenity, environmental effects and infrastructure impacts acceptable with controls.

“The proposed site layout plan demonstrates that the site is physically capable of accommodating a greater number of dwellings than the allocation. It is also relevant to note that some other allocated sites of the LDP have seen planning permissions granted for a higher number of housing units than their site allocation and some have seen planning permissions granted for a smaller number of housing units than their site allocation.”

“The site is capable of accommodating all of the proposed development including vehicular and pedestrian access and amenity space without being an overdevelopment of it. The pattern and density of the proposed development would not be at odds with the existing patterns and densities of housing and other development within Whitecraig.”

Officer report

What residents said

Three written representations were received: two objections cited traffic, flooding, land loss, pollution, amenity, mining and subsidence, while one supported development of the allocated site with integration.

“Material to the determination of the application are the written representations received to it. There have been three written representations received to this application, two of which raise objection to the proposed development and one makes comment on it. Copies of the written representations are contained in a shared electronic folder to which all Members of the Committee have access.”

“* no major development should be opening onto an unclassified road; * there would be a loss of agricultural land and a wildlife corridor; * there would be added pollution and carbon footprint from the proposed houses; * the field at Whitecraig floods frequently and flooding on the main road has worsened over the last 5 years; * the proposed development would lead to increased traffic in the local area which the local roads cannot accommodate; * the proposed development would…”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

The applicant’s representative explained the development’s benefits, while a neighbour raised concerns about overlooking, construction vibrations, lighting and the proposed path.

What members discussed

Members discussed the homes, shops, sports facilities, school capacity, factoring, protected species, drainage and the need to minimise disruption to the village.

“At the debate stage, Committee members commented on: the mix of house types, the two new retail units and the new sports and changing facilities being welcome; the development’s role in futureproofing Whitecraig Primary School; issues experienced by residents of other developments with factoring arrangements; the protected species report 11”

Minutes

The vote

Committee members unanimously supported the officer recommendation, as amended by additional conditions proposed by the Convener.

“In response to points raised by Committee members, [name withheld] provided suggested wording for additional conditions to require the timescale for delivery of a bus turning circle and the timescale for the retail/commercial units, noted below. These conditions were formally proposed by the Convener and seconded by Councillor McLeod.”

“The Convener then moved to a roll call vote, and Committee members unanimously voted in support of the officer’s recommendation to grant consent, as amended by the Convener’s proposed additional conditions.”

Minutes

What was decided

Planning Committee granted permission subject to conditions and a legal agreement securing education, affordable housing, sport, play, landscaping, land transfer and transport measures.

“Planning Committee agreed to grant planning permission, subject to the following:”

“That in accordance with the Council's policy on time limits for completion of planning agreements it is recommended that the decision should also be that in the event of the Section 75 Agreement not having been executed by the applicant, the landowner and any other relevant party within six months of the decision taken on this application, the application shall then be refused for the reason that without the developer contributions to be secured by the Agreement the…”

Minutes

Extra conditions added

Additional conditions required early delivery of the bus turning circle and access road, and a delivery plan for the two retail or commercial units.

“Prior to the commencement of development, a timetable for the provision of the early delivery of the road loop around the SuDS basin (which would function as a bus turning circle) and its connection to the A6094 Salters Road shall be submitted to an approved by the Planning Authority.”

“No development shall commence unless and until a delivery plan for the two retail/commercial units hereby approved has been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Planning Authority. Thereafter, the two retail/commercial units shall be delivered in accordance with the delivery plan so agreed.”

Minutes