CAMPAIGNERS are calling on East Lothian Council to take plans for nearly 150 homes on a former hospital site back to the drawing board amid concern over loss of woodlands.

Friends of Herdmanflat Hospital and Haddington Central Tenants and Residents Association have joined forces to bring a petition to the council demanding a halt to the plans and more public consultation.

The petitioners say that the local community deserves a bigger say in what happens to the land, which was bought by East Lothian Council from the NHS after it became surplus to requirement.

Their petition, which will go before councillors next week, says: “We call on East Lothian Council and developers to halt their current plans for the redevelopment of the Herdmanflat site.

“We request that they restart the consultation phase and allow the local community to have a more significant influence on decisions regarding the future of the site.”

In response, a report by the local authority’s housing service argues that consultations have been carried out, although they admit that the public discussions focussed specifically on their plans for housing rather than any other use of the land.

And they say that the petitioners' desire to save woodland on the site, which is not mentioned in the petition, is unworkable.

READ MORE: Plans lodged for up to 145 homes at Herdmanflat Hospital

The report, which will accompany the petition when it is discussed by councillors, says: “While the petition does not specifically state this, the two organisations who organised it have consistently requested that the southern part of the site, south of the existing hospital buildings, not be developed.

“This would severely limit the number of flats which would be provided from a maximum of 145 units to around 92 units. This would not only restrict our ability to meet the objectives but would also mean that the site would become financially unviable and could not be developed.

“Under the masterplan proposals, the woodland and much of the open space would be retained and enhanced. Public access to these areas would also be improved.”

The petition was originally drawn up after a public meeting in Haddington last April and gathered nearly 300 signatures, with more than 400 additional ones online.

It was withdrawn, however, after Hub Southeast, the council’s development consultant for the site, objected to some of the wording.

It has been resubmitted with 43 signatures, with organisers telling the council that the lower number of names was caused by the speed in which it had to be redrawn and promoted over a holiday period.

'Pressing need'

The council bought the site after the new East Lothian Community Hospital opened in Haddington and services moved to the new facility.

The housing report on the petition said that the new homes would be for older residents and were a direct response to needs identified in the county.

It said: “In January 2023, there were a total of 662 social housing applicants aged 65-plus on the council’s housing list, comprising 17 per cent of all applicants.

“A total of 81 applicants aged 65-plus were on the housing list with an assessed medical need for rehousing. This highlights the pressing need to deliver housing for older people on sites that are within easy access of local services.”

The council’s petitions and community empowerment committee will meet to decide any action required next week.