A PLANNING application has been lodged for 1,500 new houses, a primary school and employment land at Craighall, by Musselburgh.

Persimmon Homes is hoping to get the go-ahead “in principle” from East Lothian Council for the mixed-use development, which includes a commercial hub with hotel, retail facilities and cafe/restaurant.

Community facilities such as a residential neighbourhood centre, playing fields, changing facilities and public parks are proposed.

Also planned is the construction of a grade-separated junction on the A1, roads and foot/cycle paths, as well as improvement to the Musselburgh rail halt.

Submission of the planning application in principle follows a Proposal of Application Notice and public consultation exercise for the major scheme, which included an exhibition on the draft masterplan at The Brunton last year.

A planning statement from Holder Planning, acting for Persimmon, read: “The application site is allocated for the mixed use development proposed in the soon-to-be adopted East Lothian Local Development Plan.

“The proposed development will deliver 1,500 homes across the site. These homes will comprise a range of housing types. Twenty-five per cent of the housing provision will be affordable as defined by the council.

“A primary school is proposed that will accommodate the requirements arising from residential development on the wider site. It is located centrally in the application site within walking distance of new homes via a network of paths that offer safe and convenient links. The detailed design will be in accordance with the requirements of the education authority, East Lothian Council.

“The masterplan proposes enhancing a pedestrian link under the A1 that will link the site areas together, allowing new neighbourhoods and services to the west, identified in the wider masterplan, to gain access to Musselburgh Station and services in Musselburgh.

“The proposal incorporates a significant network of multi-functional open spaces and semi-natural landscape areas, including allotments/community growing space, natural play areas, sports pitches and outdoor gym facilities, and seating. This framework of green space will contribute to the legibility of the neighbourhood’s spatial pattern, establishing distinct areas of new housing linked together via a network of green foot and cycle routes.”

A new research and innovation quarter for East Lothian offering more than 20 hectares of new commercial space is proposed.

The planning statement added: “With strong links to the adjacent Queen Margaret University, the site offers the potential to build upon the reputation of Edinburgh and the Lothians for its research and innovation.”

Barry Turner, spokesman for Musselburgh Conservation Society, said: “The issue at Craighall is that major development here will be very close to major development in Edinburgh at Newcraighall and in Midlothian at Shawfair, turning the whole area into a cross-boundary urban sprawl and effectively an extension to Edinburgh’s built-up area.”

Predicting that the plan for 1,500 houses would be approved, given that was the number in the Local Development Plan, he added: “All that we can hope for is that conditions will be put in place to make this amount of housing as acceptable as possible in terms of layout, design, amenities and access to walking and cycling routes and to public transport.

“Of note is that the secondary-age children here will have to get to Musselburgh Grammar School, which is some distance away and not an easy walk, certainly not from the other side of the A1.

“The recently promoted Active Travel Network shows no cycle link to Musselburgh Grammar School. We are worried about the prospect of increased car usage to get kids to and from school thus adding to the gradually worsening traffic problems in the town.”

Jim Kirkpatrick, managing director of Persimmon Homes East Scotland, said: “We have had extensive engagement with East Lothian Council and the local community prior to the application being lodged and have generally been encouraged by the positive response to our masterplan.

“The comments of Musselburgh Conservation Society are noted and we believe the issues raised are addressed in the suite of information provided to the council.

“The application is fully compliant with the proposals contained within the emerging East Lothian Local Development Plan and we look forward to working with officers and other stakeholders during the determination process.”