East Lothian: Roads plan has more holes than 'Swiss cheese' says councillor

Plans to improve the roads network surrounding a new housing site were described as having more holes than “Swiss cheese” during a meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee.

Concerns were raised that funds requested from developers to cover some of the infrastructure costs connected to the plans for 245 homes were based on costs that had not been updated for over a decade.

And the local community council said work which had already been promised before previous housing was built had not been carried out – leaving the roads and pedestrian networks around the area at breaking point.

Dunbar Community Councillor Jacquie Bell told the planning committee: “This proposal has infrastructure holes like Swiss cheese, questions that need resolving and time constraints when we need time to review.”

Roads wrangle over this Taylor Wimpey development site at Hallhill in Dunbar

The committee was asked to approve Taylor Wimpey plans for 197 houses and 48 flats at Hallhill, Dunbar, in the final phase of a wider development in the area.

Among contributions agreed between the developers and planners was £232,245 towards a bridge or crossing for the East Coast Main Rail Line.

Committee member Jeremy Findlay raised concerns that the contribution was based an a cost for the crossing which had not been updated since 2011.

But while planners admitted that it is likely the cost for the work now would be far higher and the council was likely to face some shortfall they insisted the contribution had been calculated using an index to cover inflation.

Plenty of holes: Swiss Cheese Pic: Getty Images

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Councillor Lachlan Bruce asked: “Is it usual to use decade old figures for determining contributions for infrastructure for a development to go ahead?”

He was told it was not normally the case but recalculating the cost of such a complex project could take years.

Mrs Bell said that the community council had concerns which had grown in recent years as housing in parts of the estate had been built and families moved in.

She said concerns about one access route Hospital Road had been dismissed in 2012 by the Scottish Government Reporter who said it would not be used.

She said: “It is now collapsing and heavily used.”

And she said ongoing concerns over the junction onto the A1 from the estate remained unresolved, adding: “The junction urgently needs an upgrade so it is galling to see developer contributions go to junctions 20 miles away.”

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Mrs Bell said pedestrians were in conflict with vehicles on the roads around the estate and urged the committee to consider a continuation of a decision on the planning application until more answers could be sought.

Councillor Findlay moved a motion for a delay to the decision, citing a need to update the contributions being requested for the East Coast Main Line crossing but was defeated by eight votes to three.

The committee then approved the plans by 10 votes to one with only Councillor Findlay against.

A further application for 100 houses at Windygoul in Tranent was unanimously approved during the virtual meeting of the committee.

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