EARLY plans for a multi-million-pound development on the outskirts of Haddington have been labelled “ugly” by a town group.

Haddington and District Amenity Society (HADAS) was left disappointed by the proposals and images for a retail development at Gateside, to the west of the town.

Plans from Ediston Real Estate were revealed to the public last month during an exhibition at the town’s John Gray Centre.

Four retail units could be created, along with a drive-thru coffee shop, on the site, which was previously earmarked for a Sainsbury’s supermarket and petrol station.

HADAS has now called for a meeting to be arranged to find out what East Lothian Council’s thoughts are on the scheme.

Andrew Robinson, HADAS chairman, has already been in touch with the council and called for a meeting involving both groups, as well as Haddington Community Development Trust and the town’s community council, business association and history society.

He said: “What we have at the moment is a very, very unimpressive proposal that has been put before the community. I have had so many calls and conversations saying it is just not good enough for the entrance to the town.”

It is thought that the £15 million development could create in the region of 200 jobs.

The developers have confirmed there are businesses interested in the site, although no names have been confirmed.

Alastair Dickie, development director at Ediston Real Estates, attended the town’s community council meeting one week before the public exhibition.

He said food retailers and “a household-type” retailer, as well as the coffee drive-thru, had expressed interest in the site.

Paul Darling, one of the planning liaison officers at the town’s community council, echoed Mr Robinson’s view that the buildings proposed were “ugly”.

A planning application is expected to be with East Lothian Council by the end of the summer.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead, work could get under way in either early 2019 or 2020.

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said: “The council has yet to receive an application so we cannot comment on any elements being discussed during the public consultation. Once a definitive scheme has been prepared and an application has been submitted it will be considered under the due planning process.”

A spokesman for Ediston said: “We will be submitting a planning application and taking on board a lot of the comments coming out of the public consultation, which was helpful. We will submit details, which people can make comment and their views on.”