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East Lothian Courier

Developer 'devastated'

Kirsty Gibbins • Published 24 Feb 2011 09:27 Mobiles Print Comments 33 Comments

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The steel framework of the Wallyford stadium grandstand was the first and only phase of its construction since being granted planning permission six years ago.

THE developer of the partially built Wallyford greyhound stadium is "devastated" after councillors rejected his bid to erect 94 houses to fund the stalled project.

Meeting in Haddington on Tuesday, councillors debated for more than an hour whether to grant planning permission to Howard Wallace and his firm Sirius Sport & Leisure Ltd for a change of use – from business to residential – for land south-east of the stadium site at Barbachlaw Farm, just off Salter's Road, to erect 94 properties.

An agent for Mr Wallace had previously told councillors at a pre-determination hearing earlier this month that completion of the 5,000-capacity stadium – granted planning permission in 2005 – would depend on the financial proceeds of the residential development. A relocated stadium car park also formed part of the planning application.

However, a report from the council's executive director of environment was delivered by principal planner Keith Dingwall, recommending councillors reject the application.

Elected members were clearly divided.

Councillors Stuart MacKinnon, Willie Innes and Andy Forrest all spoke of the employment benefits from the construction of the housing and the completion of the greyhound stadium. Currently only the steel frame of a grandstand has been erected (see picture).

Promoters of the stadium project have said the development, once completed, would create 183 jobs, attract 365,000 visitors annually and bring £10 million a year to the economy.

Mr Innes said: "There's not a person in this chamber that would not prefer to have the stadium up and running. The best laid plans sometimes come unstuck and when alternative solutions are found we should provide support.

"In the present economic climate East Lothian should have planning and economic strategies that bring forward and support developments like this.

Instead, as outside figures show, East Lothian is haemorrhaging jobs."

Councillor Ludovic Broun-Lindsay angrily declared that the argument for the application was "completely flawed" and believed the council would be making a "grave" mistake by approving the change of use.

"This is not an enabling development – if we go against [the Local Plan] we are taking a grave step, the consequences of which I would prefer not to dwell upon," he said.

"We would be creating a precedent that says East Lothian is an open house, that if you dangle enough sweets they will just rip it [the Local Plan] up."

Councillor David Berry also opposed the application, stating that the loss of the commercial land could not be justified.

He said: "This is not about whether we support the stadium or not, that's not the application we have in front of us. To my mind this is an open and shut case. We shouldn't be doing this."

Members eventually voted 12 to eight to uphold the officials' recommendation. Council leader Paul McLennan, depute council leader Stuart MacKinnon and Labour group leader Mr Innes were among the members who supported Mr Wallace's application.

Following the meeting, Mr Wallace told the Courier he was surprised by the decision.

He said: "I was quite devastated by the outcome to be honest. I had been quite buoyant going into the meeting as I felt I had made a good case. Now I'm not quite sure where I go from here."

He explained that he would discuss options with his family before deciding on his next course of action, but hinted that he would be considering either appealing the council's decision or gaining investment from others in the greyhound industry to try to restart the project.

"The decision today has made it very, very difficult for me as an individual to get the stadium completed," he said.

"Therefore, I will have to look at whether I can get others in the greyhound industry to come on board with me and see if we can finally get this project realised.

"I still have a great desire to see this come to fruition but everything has been dependent on us getting funding from the housing development to complete the stadium. Now, the rug has been pulled out from under me."

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