HOUSING proposals described as “the right application in the wrong place” have been turned down.

Twenty-four homes were planned for a site in Dirleton but members of East Lothian Council’s planning committee voted almost unanimously to reject the scheme.

Two sites in the village have been explored for some time for housing developments, with Queensberry Properties looking at building on land at Castlemains Farm.

Last Tuesday, Muir Homes Limited’s plans for two dozen houses at the other site – on land to the north of Foreshot Terrace – were refused by councillors.

Members of the planning committee discussed the merits of building new homes in the village while also ensuring Dirleton retained its character.

Councillor Stuart Currie was one of those who was open to development in Dirleton but felt he could not approve the plans.

He said: “It is a stunning place and equally there is a heavy burden on the planning committee to take into account the need for new housing.

“It is probably the right application in the wrong place.”

Councillor John McMillan supported the idea of turning down the proposals. He highlighted aspects of the report, which noted it would be “harmful to the character and appearance” of Dirleton Conservation Area.

Malcolm Smith, on behalf of the developers, noted that the village’s primary school would have been able to cope with the additional children living in the development.

The local authority’s officials had recommended the plans be turned down and the only councillor to go against that was Kenny McLeod.

He told the committee he had driven round the village to look for the best possible place for development and felt the site off Foreshot Terrace was the best option and would keep construction-related disruption to a minimum.

It is the third time in just three years that plans have been turned down for a development on the site, with proposals having been rejected in 2014 and the following year.

A number of members of the public spoke against the proposals, including Tom Drysdale, on behalf of Gullane Area Community Council, which covers the village.

He outlined a number of reasons to turn the scheme down, including concerns about the SUDS pond to the north of the site and the impact the new homes would have on wildlife.

He added: “The community council agrees with the planning officer that the development of this site would be harmful to the conservation area and that it would prejudice the ability to provide infrastructure capacity, and in particular school place capacity, for the designate site at Castlemains.

“As with the two previous applications for the site which were refused, we consider that this application is opportunistic and speculative and we ask you to refuse it.”

Mary McNie, who lives nearby, also raised concerns about the proposals, including the access to the site from Ware Road and the impact on surrounding infrastructure, including both Drem and North Berwick railway stations.

She said: “There are 220 existing houses in the village.

“If houses are built this size and style, the style of the village will be spoilt.

“It would be more appropriate to put the odd house in a gap site to blend in and not the intended suburban style.”