PLANS to replace Scotland’s largest karting centre with a new petrol station and roadside service facility, including a hotel, have been unveiled.

A Proposal of Application Notice for the Raceland site at the Gladsmuir Junction, off the A1, includes proposals to turn the land accommodating the karting centre into a service station with fuel, food and drink and overnight accommodation.

The notice has been lodged with East Lothian Council on behalf of Karting Indoors Ltd, which runs Raceland, by Edinburgh developers Clarendon Planning and Development Ltd.

The boundary for the proposed petrol station development covers the entire Raceland site.

A spokesperson for Clarendon confirmed that the proposal would replace the karting venue – if it was given the go-ahead. But they stressed that plans were at “a very early stage”.

The spokesperson said: “Commercial proposals for the application subjects are at an early stage; however, same would form redevelopment of the existing site.

"In terms of a date for the pre-application public consultation, this is yet to be finalised but it is anticipated that the event will be held in February and will of course be advertised prior. Clarendon will also notify stakeholders of the date.

"This is an exciting opportunity to serve an existing need for roadside services, incorporating a petrol filling station which will generate local employment with associated economic benefits.

"At this preliminary juncture, we are thus keen to engage with the local community and take on-board feedback so as to inform the evolving proposals”.

The notice says the company is planning a ‘roadside service area comprising petrol filling station, ancillary class 1, class 3 and class 7 uses, parking, landscaping and associated infrastructure’ – class 7 covers hotel and hostels.

Public consultation events are expected to be held over the coming months, although dates and times have still to be confirmed.

Staff at Raceland, which bills itself as the largest leisure karting centre in Scotland, uniquely offering both outdoor and indoor circuits at one venue, said they had been told to direct any questions about the proposals to developers Clarendon Planning and Development Ltd.

Raceland has been in operation at Gladsmuir for several decades. and also has a paintball facility.