AN EXTENSION to Hallhill Sports Centre has been given the green light by East Lothian Council.

Dunbar Rugby Club submitted plans to extend the building, which is beside where they both train and play their home games, in November last year.

David Wilson, the club’s chairman, was delighted to overcome the latest hurdle, with hopes the two-storey extension could be built by early next year.

He said: “The next stage is to get the architect to draw up the proper building plans.

“We will meet with him and discuss exactly how we want the set-up of the building of the extension – things like lighting, heating, the layout of the gym and the layout of the upstairs."

Once drawings are finalised, the club will look at potential costings before attempting to source funding.

That could come through organisations like SportScotland and the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), as well as the club’s own funds.

The extension would not only contain a gym, which could be utilised to help players on their return from injury, but also, potentially, an upstairs seating area for people watching the game.

However, Mr Wilson stressed it was an extension that would be utilised by the whole community and not just the rugby club. He told the Courier: “It has been pushed by the rugby club but it is for the benefit of other sports clubs and the wider community.

“There is a small gym in the leisure pool but we are looking for a bit of everything, including some free weights and some machines.”

Dunbar currently sit seventh in East League Division One and host Hawick Harlequins on Saturday.

The chairman was keen to see the extension built as soon as possible, with the potential of it being ready by the start of the new season.

However, he felt early 2017 was a more likely timeframe.

Ward councillor Norman Hampshire, the local authority’s spokesman for housing and environment, also welcomed the move.

He said: “It is a development for the whole community."