DUNPENDER Community Council has called for a maximum of 150 new houses to be built in the East Linton area after the village was highlighted as a potential area for expansion in an East Lothian Council report.

A 600-hectare ‘area of search’ was highlighted in East Lothian Council’s Main Issues Report (MIR) before Christmas.

Consultation on the document, which outlines potential sites for more than 10,000 homes over the next decade, closed at midnight on Sunday, with the village’s community council among those airing their views.

In its submission, the community council states: “We agree with East Lothian Council’s assessment of no preferred development in East Linton, and would not want to see large-scale development imposed upon our village.

“Development over the years has been gradual and has integrated well and we recognise that limited new building can bring new families to keep our school, shops and businesses open, as well as the many voluntary and social activities within East Linton, without destroying the character of the village.

“However, if development is to happen in the future we would suggest plots adjacent to existing housing, where agricultural land is not as valuable as elsewhere and there is already some housing.

“We would suggest a limit of 150 houses in total, of which 42 already have planning permission at Whitekirk.

“Smaller houses are needed, retirement houses and flats, not more large houses.” And they added: “Location is important as any building to the north of [East Linton] High Street will cause gridlock, as we have seen from the recent closure of Bridge Street.

“Location on the A199 side would be preferred, towards the east of the village.” One of the main problems for any potential development at East Linton is public transport links.

The MIR document noted that public transport links from East Linton were poor – though that could improve soon if a local rail service returns to the village.

The village’s railway station closed 51 years ago but a re-opened rail halt could be on track by the end of 2016.

In the MIR, East Lothian Council outlines two potential strategies for development in the county.

The preferred option – compact growth – would focus the search for new housing and economic development land on the main settlements in the west of the county, such as Musselburgh.

The alternative – dispersed growth – would see development spread along a transport corridor taking in the East Coast Main Line and the A1.

A spokeswoman for the community council added: “We don’t think we should comment on development in wards other than our own, other than to say that we think development should be spread out across all the wards and not concentrated in one particular area, other than any new settlement at Blindwells.

“Our towns are small and are not able to take on large amounts of new development without altering their character and putting strain on existing facilities.”