PLANS for Gullane’s Scottish Fire Services College should have the community at their heart, according to one of the local candidates for the Westminster election.

The future of the buildings, on the village’s Main Street, are unclear.

A decision to close the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service facility was made in September 2013 and the Courier understands the college will close for good at the end of March this year.

It is not clear what will then happen to the buildings there.

One of the potential uses is for housing, with East Lothian Council’s Main Issues Report (MIR) consultation suggesting the 4.2 hectare site could be developed.

Jason Rose, East Lothian Greens’ candidate for Westminster, said: “The Gullane fire college occupies a prime site in the community and the end of training activities will be a real blow to the East Lothian economy.

“Greens opposed the centralisation of Scotland’s fire brigades and we’re determined to ensure that the future of this site is shaped by the needs and aspirations of the community.

“I’m keen that we consider how any development can generate local employment rather than simply encourage more commuting to Edinburgh.

“There are small businesses, social enterprises and entrepreneurs with potential in East Lothian, so let’s think if this site could be used to help them.

“East Lothian Greens will be responding to the Main Issues Report and I urge the local authority to fully involve local people in determining the next steps.” Once the college is closed, training for the nation’s firefighters will instead take place at Clydesmill Fire Training College in Cambuslang, near Glasgow.

That state-of-the-art facility, which was opened nearly three years ago, will become the new centralised training base for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Last week, ahead of a special MIR-related meeting in the village, Jeremy Findlay, chairman of Gullane Area Community Council, described it as “inevitable” that the village’s fire college would be turned into housing.

Shonagh McEwan, Gullane-based Green campaigner, said: “It’s obviously disappointing to see the fire college move away from Gullane.

“The challenge now is to ensure that there’s not simply a repeat of the same old story, when prime land is taken on by private housing developers to line their own pockets.

“We know that East Lothian is under pressure to develop more housing, and there’s a real risk that we end up with a development largely designed for private profit rather than affordable, energy efficient homes and wider community needs.

“It is important that local people are empowered rather than being kept in the dark and presented with a done deal.”