Plans for East Lothian holiday homes will put guests at risk from '100mph' golf balls objectors claim

Concern over the siting of the accommodation next to the greens at Kilspindie Golf Course, in Aberlady, has led to East Lothian Council planners recommending the plans are thrown out at a meeting next week.

The application from Wemyss and March Estate, who own the land, would see an old bird hide on the edge of the coastline, adjacent to the greens, turned into a seasonal holiday let for guests on the edge of a small cliff.

An artist's impression of Kilspindie Golf Course holiday house | East Lothian Council

The plans would see guests parking in the golf club overflow car park and making their way to the accommodation across the course either on foot or on golf buggy with no proposals to create a new road to access it.

Proposed ground level solar panels to power the home would be covered with netting to protect it from golf balls and a balcony would be built at the back of the new property overlooking the stunning coastal view.

The application received 54 objections amid concern about the impact on local wildlife and safety of guests.

One objector said: “Why would anyone even consider designing a building to be used as a living space almost directly in front of a golf course teeing ground?

“The front door positioning means that visitors will be stepping straight out into the direct line of golf shots from the third tees, these are drives which can be moving at over 100mph with a hard object, which can cause serious injury or even death.”

Planners are urging councillors to reject the application at next week’s meeting of the planning committee on grounds including that they have not demonstrated it could go ahead without “increasing the safety hazard to guests from flooding and having to traverse active golf courses”.

They also point out it would create a holiday home on the protected Firth of Forth Special Protection Area and area of Special Scientific Interest.

And they back objectors concerns about the safety of operating the holiday let on the golf course.

They say: “Given the building requires to be accessed over active golf courses, there would be an intensification of movements to and from the building over the golf courses which would present a safety hazard, increasing the risk of people being hit by golf balls. This is quite different to members of the public who may choose to informally walk on the golf course or headland with the proposal promoting a specific holiday let accommodation as a destination which will generate increased pedestrian movement at this specific location.

“Additionally, with the main entrance to the proposed holiday let being directly onto the golf course, the proposal would present an increased safety hazard of guests being struck by wayward golf balls.”