MORE than 2,000 people have signed a petition calling on East Lothian Council to take a stand against a planned greyhound stadium in Wallyford.

The proposed stadium, which has been on local plans for nearly two decades, took a step closer last month when the local authority granted developer Howard Wallace permission to build 94 houses and a 293-space car park at the site at Barbachlaw Farm, off Salters Road.

Proposals for a greyhound stadium have been around since 1998 but planning consent was officially given by East Lothian Council in early 2002.

However, the developer has been in dispute with the council over his contention that houses needed to be built first to free up funds for the stadium.

He has been supported by the Scottish Government, which overturned the council’s refusal to allow housing to be built.

Development of the stadium stalled after a steel stand frame was put up – with a major housing development subsequently built north-east of the site – and developers said they needed to build more housing to finance the leisure project.

In April 2010, an application to build 94 houses on land originally identified for business use and for a stadium car park was rejected by local planners but an appeal to the Scottish Government saw that decision overturned and last month the council gave planning permission for the ‘high-end’ houses and car park.

READ MORE: Stadium a step closer after housing plans approved

That decision has spurred campaigners into action and a petition was launched on Change.Org by group No To Greyhound Racing At Wallyford.

In the petition, they urged Mr Wallace to drop plans for the stadium, but also demanded the council take a stand before it is built by openly stating it will not grant alcohol licences or public entertainment licences to the facility should it be built.

The petition said: “We also call on the council’s licensing board to follow its overprovision policy and state upfront that it will not approve any future applications for a drinks licence at the proposed stadium, as well as a public entertainment licence and any other licence which would allow it to entice people to spend a ‘Night at the Dogs’ or promote such events.”

The petition also urges the council to appoint an animal welfare officer responsible for attending all events at the stadium, with the officer having the power to shut the venue down if they find any breaches.

The petition also states: “Greyhound racing has no place in modern Scotland and remains a self-regulated, widely abused activity in which animals face unnecessary suffering, untimely deaths and a lack of care which would be expected by any other animal.

“We believe it should be outlawed and East Lothian Council has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to take a stand.”

A council spokesperson said: “Any petition we receive will be given full consideration. It may be useful to clarify that while it is true that the East Lothian licensing board has an overprovision policy, the board must only make decisions after an application is received. Board members must not comment on applications before they are heard at the licensing board.

“In terms of animal welfare, of course East Lothian Council takes its duties very seriously and works with other agencies in the event that any concerns are reported.”