Hillend housing site investigation gets underway

An investigation into plans to build houses on a former petrol station site has been launched by the Scottish Government Reporter.

The former petrol station site at Hillend.

The proposals for the Hillend site, which has been described as a “troubled” greenbelt plot, were called in by Scottish Ministers after Midlothian councillors wanted to approve it despite an objection from Transport Scotland.

The transport agency said it could not support the nine planned cottages which would be accessed off the A702 trunk road without more information. However, a transport report produced said the impact on traffic would be negligible and points out access was already used when it was a petrol station or used for other businesses in the past.

The plans for the former petrol station site were initially refused planning permission by Midlothian planners in August last year after they raised concerns about road safety and dubbed the gardens for the homes too small.

A meeting of Midlothian Council’s Local Review Body in December was told both Midlothian planners and Transport Scotland had called for a road safety audit to be produced before the housing could be approved.

However, the review body overturned officers’ decision and upheld an appeal granting planning permission by five votes to three.

The review body was told the application for nine steading-styled housing units would have to be referred to Scottish Ministers because Transport Scotland is a statutory body and its objection remained in place.

Applicants C.M. Roofing and Building Ltd had argued that while council planners had other objections to their proposal including opposing the design of the steading-style buildings, size of the gardens and car park layout, it made no sense to fund a safety audit.

The former petrol station site near Hillend had been earmarked for a hotel until the pandemic hit and the plans were scrapped.

The land, which lies 70 metres north of the A702 junction with Pentland Road and the A703, has not been used as a petrol station for 20 years and in recent times has had car wash services and Christmas tree sellers use it.

The Reporter is expected to visit the site as part of the investigation into the application.