COUNCILLORS have ensured that affordable housing is central to plans to transform Gullane’s former fire college.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s proposals to create up to 125 homes at the Main Street site were unanimously approved by members of East Lothian Council’s planning committee last Tuesday.

The former fire college shut its doors in March last year, with recruit and specialist training now based in Cambuslang, near Glasgow.

Ward councillor David Berry's call for an amendment to be made to one of the planning recommendations, to ensure affordable housing was built on the site, was approved.

The recommendation stated that 25 per cent of the final number of houses on the site would be affordable units, rather than these units being built off-site or for a commuted sum to be made payable to the local authority.

Meanwhile, the developers will pay £1,843,229 towards the provision of additional capacity at Gullane Pre-School, the village’s primary school and North Berwick High School.

Mr Berry told members he did not think anyone “quibbled” about the idea of housing being the principal aspect of the development.

He added: “I move if we accept this application we must make it absolutely clear 25 per cent must be built on the site.”

Among those speaking at the meeting was Tom Drysdale, vice-chairman of Gullane Area Community Council.

He stressed the group “did not object in principle” to the development, but community councillors had three main concerns.

One of those concerns related to the plans for affordable housing.

Mr Drysdale said: “While the planning officer’s report specifies a requirement for a 25 per cent affordable housing element, there are the usual provisions that this can be provided elsewhere, or even not at all in return for a financial payment by the developer. That won’t help the people of Gullane. Again, they have made it known to us at public meetings that there is an unmet demand in the village for low-cost housing for workers employed in the tourist industry and that there is a lack of such housing to accommodate larger families.

“Again, we have made this known, but again it seems to have been ignored.”

Another of the concerns related to the lack of potential business space and employment opportunities on the site.

Mr Drysdale added: “From well-attended public meetings we have held in Gullane, it is clear that there is a demand for a limited amount of small business premises to be incorporated into the development.

"We made this known to the applicants at an early stage, but it seems to have been ignored.

“We feel that it should be looked at again.”

Ward member Councillor Tim Day was the first to back the recommendation to approve the plans. He welcomed the affordable housing element on the site and described it as “disappointing” the site did not include business units.

He added: “I will support the application today.

“It is only an outline planning application and I hope the points that have been raised can be dealt with as we move forwards into a detailed application.”

Ward colleague Jim Goodfellow was disappointed to see the fire college shut and “wholeheartedly” agreed with the community council’s view about business units on the site.

Mr Goodfellow added: “The Gullane community sees this site as its number one priority for its contribution to housing within the proposed local plan and, because of this, I would reluctantly support the application without the inclusion of any employment provision.”

An SFRS spokesman said: “SFRS is delighted to see a future use for the Gullane site with the retention of Henderson House that will provide local housing with the element of affordable housing as is required within the planning consent."