AMBITIOUS plans for more than 100 houses and a cemetery on the outskirts of Dunbar have been lodged with East Lothian Council.

A public exhibition was held in September last year by Gladman Developments, which is looking at a site at Newtonlees Farm, to the east of the town.

Members of the public will now have the chance to see the plans in more detail before deciding whether they wish to make an objection.

According to documents lodged with the local authority last month, the site, to the south of the A1087, would consist of “up to” 115 homes, including 25 per cent affordable housing, as well a cemetery, new vehicular access and pedestrian/cycle links.

One major stumbling block could be that the 8.3-hectare site is outwith the sites identified by East Lothian Council’s Local Development Plan.

If planning permission in principle is granted, Gladman would then market the site, with the purchasing house builder submitting an application for all detailed matters.

The report states a number of house builders – Mansell Homes, Stewart Milne Homes and Miller Homes – have already expressed an interest in the site.

Ward councillor Michael Veitch, who is not on the local authority’s planning committee, said: “I think with the recent approval of the 240 houses at that end of the town, which are now being built, that is going to add huge pressure to Queens Road and Spott Road.

“I think the idea of adding another fairly large-scale development would be extremely problematic and will generate very, very widespread opposition in the community.”

A section of the site has been included for a cemetery, which would act as an extension to Deer Park Cemetery, which is on the opposite side of the A1087. One of the documents suggests the cemetery would take up an area of 1.5 hectares.

Last year, ward councillor Norman Hampshire, who is chairman of the planning committee, highlighted the increasing need for more cemetery space in Dunbar.

He said: “The cemetery at Deer Park is very close to its end.

“It is really, really tight for space and officials have been able to make some additional space to continue for a bit longer but it is getting desperate.”

Mr Veitch agreed with his colleague but said they needed to be “fairly wary” about linking it to “a very controversial” planning application.

Work has already began on the neighbouring field, to the north-west, where 240 new homes are being built.

George Robertson, vice-chairman of the town’s community council, said the latest proposals would be discussed at an upcoming meeting.

He added: “We were opposed to the idea of having a cemetery on that side of the road in amongst a housing estate, if it ever went ahead.”