AS MANY as 100 new houses could be built in Macmerry – increasing its population by about 25 per cent – under plans submitted to East Lothian Council.

The new development, between Chesterhall Avenue and St Germains Terrace, is proposed by Taylor Wimpey East Scotland.

A public consultation event take places later this summer. The proposals feature 90-100 two, three and four bedroom properties.

The scheme, still in its very early stages, would see a quarter of the homes classed as affordable. Macmerry is currently home to about 1,300 residents.

Following the consultation event, which makes up part of the Proposal of Application Notice (PAN), a formal planning application would need to be submitted to the local authority.

Pauline Mills, land and planning director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, said: “Our PAN for land west of Greendykes Road in Macmerry allows us to begin the very important process of community engagement to discuss our development proposals for the area, which will include a public consultation event later this year.

“We are fully committed to a detailed programme of engagement with local communities throughout the lifetime of our developments and a public consultation event as part of the overall process allows us to understand and consider the views from as many stakeholders as possible as we develop our proposal.

“Whilst the event will not be held until later in the year, we would like to take this opportunity of encouraging as many people as possible to be involved in our community consultation programme in order to share their views so that we may consider these as we develop our emerging development proposal.”

No date has been confirmed for the public exhibition but Maureen Cuthill, of the village’s community council, had received a letter earlier this week outlining the plans for the site.

She said: “We will find out more about the design and how many houses they are going to put in.”