COMMUNITY leaders have reacted with anger as controversial plans to build houses in Gullane were given the go-ahead by a narrow vote after three of East Lothian Council’s newly-elected councillors abstained and another was unable to take part in the decision.

There were cries of “shame” from members of the public packed into Haddington Town House for Tuesday’s planning committee meeting as the schemes were approved.

Councillors were meeting to decide on planning applications for 150 new homes at Saltcoats Field and 48 homes in the nearby Fenton Gait East development, both by CALA Homes.

Planning officials had recommended both applications for approval after the land was identified in the council’s draft Local Development Plan (LDP) as suitable for housing.

But representatives of the local community council, campaign group Gullane Opposes Over Development (GOOD), and residents took their opportunity to address councillors on their objections.

Ward councillor Jim Goodfellow (Lab), who is not on the planning committee, urged his colleagues to reject the plans, saying it would “restore faith in the democratic process”.

But all five Labour councillors on the committee approved both applications, while two SNP councillors opposed them. Conservative councillor Lachlan Bruce opposed the Saltcoats application, while his two party colleagues abstained. On Fenton Gait, all three Conservatives abstained.

A fourth Conservative member, Jeremy Findlay, was told he could not vote because of his previous public comments on the issue, during his time as chairman of Gullane Area Community Council.

Mr Findlay later took to social media to voice his dismay at the decision of his own colleagues.

He said: “I was not allowed to vote or even be in the room when the vote was taken. However, I am disappointed at those colleagues of mine that either voted with the council position or who abstained.”

And he said he believed the decision to stop him voting was “undemocratic”.

The committee was told there had been 433 written objections to the Saltcoats plans and 283 objections to Fenton Gait East.

NHS physiotherapist Clare Tulloch, who spoke on behalf of charity Muirfield Riding Therapy – which is near the Saltcoats development – and neighbouring West Fenton residents, said the housing would put “vulnerable road users” at risk, as traffic from the new development would inevitably speed through their community.

She said: “As a physiotherapist with NHS Lothian I have seen the devastating effect of road traffic accidents. A fatality should not have to occur before action is taken.”

Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader, said he did not believe the applications should be considered because the draft Local Development Plan (LDP) had not been decided. It is currently with the Scottish Government Reporter for approval.

He said: “When the draft plan was sent to the Reporter there were 171 representations on this site from Gullane and we were told by council officials they would be looked at in more detail by the Reporter.

“If we approve the application now, the Reporter will not be able to consider those representations.”

Council leader Willie Innes (Lab) said while he sympathised with the objectors, many objections were because “people do not like change”.

The committee voted to approve the application for Saltcoats by five votes to three, with councillors Willie Innes, Norman Hampshire, Colin McGinn, Fiona O’Donnell and John McMillan (Lab) for the application, Stuart Currie, Kenny McLeod (SNP) and Lachlan Bruce (Con) opposing it, and Brian Small and Sue Kempson (Con) abstaining. Jeremy Findlay (Con) was not allowed to vote, while Tom Trotter (SNP) was not at the meeting.

Members of the public gasped at the abstention votes, with some responding with calls of “shame”.

Andrew Henry-Bowie, who attended on behalf of GOOD said: “The decision makes a complete mockery of the democratic process.”

On the abstentions, he added: “People in Gullane will be disappointed. What are they there for if they do not vote?”

Tom Drysdale, acting chairman of Gullane Area Community Council, said: “We feel the democratic process has not been followed through. There was a massive community response to the LDP and these points have not been resolved.”

Mr Currie accused the Conservative councillors who abstained of “bottling” it.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “North Berwick Coastal ward returned two Tory councillors on a pledge to oppose developments in Gullane.

“One of those councillors could not vote yet was put on the planning committee, the other was not appointed to the committee and did not attend the meeting, and their colleagues let the people of Gullane down by abstaining.”

But Councillor Small, Conservative Group leader, said he had abstained because he felt there was insufficient information from council officers about the impact of the housing on Gullane.

He had asked council officials to tell him the number of people who would be added to the community by the Saltcoats development.

Mr Small said: “The answers to my questions in this area were, in my opinion, somewhat evasive and gave me no comfort. I do, however, believe that all parts of the county need to take their share of the housing burden placed on the council by the Scottish Government.

“I am most certainly not an abstainer by nature but, given the enormous implications for so many people from these decisions, I would rather not make a decision than make an ill-informed one.”

Mr Bruce said: “I voted against the first one because I was not happy with it going ahead without hearing the outcome of the LDP. On the second one I felt a precedent had been set so I felt I would not be able to vote against it.”

While Dr Kempson said: “In principle, I am against the use of prime agricultural land for housing development. However, the council is caught between a rock and a hard place by the demands placed upon it by the demands of the Scottish Government. I do not believe my decision to abstain had any impact on the final decision taken by the planning committee.”

Tony Thomas from CALA’s agents APT Planning and Development, said: “The decisions to grant approval is a success for the regional democratic system and the wider county as a whole.

“As the council is challenged with delivering over 10,000 new homes, these developments form a crucial part of the highly scrutinised and locally determined LDP process – and ensure that Gullane is set to take a fair share of new homes.”