PLANNING permission for a care facility on the site of Musselburgh’s former Tesco store has been extended for another three years.

Progress on the site, off Mall Avenue, has been slow since Tesco moved to its new store in 2010.

Planning permission was granted nearly a decade ago for a mixed use development on the site.

Last month, East Lothian Council’s planning committee gave the green light for 140 flats to be built on the site.

Now, the same committee has extended the planning permission for a new care facility until September 25, 2020.

Planning committee convener Councillor Norman Hampshire said discussions were ongoing regarding the facility.

In the summer, members of the town’s community council highlighted their frustrations at the lack of progress on the site.

Catherine McArthur from the group said: “I really think we should be making a bigger noise about this – it’s all about the developers.

“This is a community and we didn’t argue 20 odd years ago to retain Edenhall Hospital.

“We were supposed to have a care home 20 odd years ago and it’s about time people stood up and said ‘this is what we want’.”