AN APPEAL hearing over rejected plans to build 1,200 homes at Goshen Farm, east of Musselburgh, will be held over six days next month.

The Scottish Government Reporter has set aside three days a week over two weeks to hear evidence for and against the proposals by Ashfield Land.

The hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, to Thursday September 22, and Tuesday, September 27, to Thursday, September 29, will be broadcast via webcast, although it has not been confirmed whether this will be live or recorded for a later release.

Among the evidence being presented by those opposing the development will be a report in the Courier on a meeting with ScotRail boss Phil Verster in which he admitted he had no resources to increase rail services on the North Berwick-Edinburgh line, which are often too full to take passengers waiting at Musselburgh.

Colin Mackay, representing Hands Off Goshen Greenbelt, said: “It is misleading and inaccurate to assert the development would benefit from a choice of transport through proximity to the park-and-choose and rail transport from Wallyford.

“A photograph of the already crowded car park will be submitted, there will be a newspaper statement (from the Courier) by the rail operator, admitting to lack of availability of additional rolling stock or of rail capacity which could alleviate problems, and there will be an affidavit confirming that travellers from Musselburgh find themselves unable to board a chosen train when that train is full and, lacking space, does not stop to collect passengers.”

East Lothian Council dropped Goshen Farm land from its draft Local Development Plan in November last year after more than 1,800 people signed a petition opposing the planned development.

Prior to that decision, it had been a preferred site for building some of the housing the Scottish Government has told the county to provide. Despite the decision, Ashfield Land appealed to the Scottish Government, claiming the council took too long to come to its decision and had failed to meet its statutory duty.

The appeal hearing next month will be at King’s Manor Hotel, Milton Road East, in Edinburgh. A site visit is scheduled for Thursday, September 22.