CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 120 new homes in Ormiston were backed by East Lothian Council’s planning committee as they were asked to give the proposal the go-ahead.

The plans for land at Limeylands in the village were originally turned down by the local authority in January 2015, but that decision was overturned on appeal by a Scottish Government Reporter.

Initial plans to challenge the appeal were later dropped by the council following legal advice.

The application last week set down conditions which have been put in place as part of the development.

It revealed that of the 120 houses being built on the site, 90 would be detached with 10 semi-detached, 20 terraced and 10 single-storey bungalows.

It is also expected 90 would be for private sale, with a mix of 30 going forward as affordable housing.

Objectors to the plans had voiced concerns about the impact on the village, its medical centre and primary school.

East Lothian Council pointed to the inability of Ormiston Primary School to cope with the additional numbers of children that were expected to come with the housing.

However, the Scottish Government Reporter was scathing about the council’s claims regarding education, stating it was of “very limited helpfulness”.

In a statement backing her decision to approve the plans she said: “I did not find the council’s education projections to be robust given the number of unexplained discrepancies in the numbers produced.

“I do not conclude on the evidence available to me that the extension of the school on the existing campus would be impossible.”

And at a meeting of the council’s planning committee in Haddington last Wednesday, Councillor John McMillan, provost, said the case was “very unusual and complex.”

The committee discussed rejecting the plans at length, with Councillor Willie Innes, council leader, raising questions over the schooling of youngsters in the village.

Councillor Stuart Currie, though, argued that the plans needed approval.

He said: “I do not think anyone in this room thinks that we are in a good position but there seems to be only one way forward. It is not ideal but that is the position we are in.”

Mr Currie argued that the local authority was required to give the plans the go-ahead to avoid making a decision that was “not sound legally” because of the Reporter’s decision.

The committee meeting was forced into a 20-minute adjournment as members took advice from East Lothian Council’s legal team regarding Mr Currie’s claim.

The plans were then unanimously given the go-ahead by the planning committee.

Summing up, Councillor Norman Hampshire, convenor, said: “Members are not happy that a decision has been taken out of our hands and we are not in a position to protect the people in our communities.”