DEVELOPERS behind a controversial housing project in North Berwick were this week urged to heed the will of the people when providing affordable homes on the site.

Detailed planning permission for 140 homes at Ferrygate in the town was approved by East Lothian Council’s planning committee, despite the objections of local ward members.

However, applicants Miller Homes were warned by council leader Willie Innes that they should reconsider plans to make the affordable housing on the site one and two-bedroom apartments as the need was for three-bedroom homes.

Mr Innes told the housebuilder: “I hope you have the decency to renegotiate with the housing department to ensure that the housing on the site which is affordable services the community and meets their needs.”

His comments came after Miller Homes were heavily criticised by North Berwick Coastal ward councillors over their determination to push ahead with the development.

The planned housing was initially rejected by East Lothian Council’s planning committee, but their decision was overturned on appeal by the Scottish Government Reporter.

The committee was told it was the second application to build on the land, with a first one being submitted in 2012 and refused.

Councillor Jim Goodfellow said: “The will of the North Berwick people is that this was not a preferred site for the town. The applicant applied and applied and appealed and appealed until they got one appeal through.

“It does not address the need of North Berwick which is three-bedroom houses.

“Nearly 70 per cent of houses planned for the site are four and five-bedroom homes.”

Miller Homes had told the committee the affordable housing on the site was likely to be one or two-bedroom apartments, but Mr Goodfellow said it was clear from his surgeries in North Berwick that the demand was for three-bedroom affordable housing.

Fellow ward councillor Tim Day said the decision to overturn the council’s rejection of planning permission had been the most “egregious decision I have experienced over the last four years”. He refused to support the planning application, saying: “I would like to highlight my disgust at the way this application has been progressed.”

And ward councillor Dave Berry said the development was “unfortunate”, adding: “It has been decided outwith this committee’s control and rendered it powerless.”

Council leader Mr Innes recognised that the committee had little choice but to approve the planning permission, after appealing to the developers to listen to local demands before building the housing.

Permission was granted by 13 votes to three.