A HOUSING development near Dunbar Railway Station has been refused planning permission amid fears the land could be needed for car parking in the future.

East Lothian Council’s planning committee on Tuesday rejected the advice of its officials by turning down an application to build 17 new houses on a field which sits between Station Road and Countess Road.

The narrow vote to dismiss the application came after planning convenor and ward member Councillor Norman Hampshire said negotiations to buy land north of the station and build a new car park on it were not going well.

He said: “The way discussions are going it is not happening between the council and rail operators for that car park.

“If we approve this application we will not have an alternative site for car parking.” The application by Dundas Estates to build houses on the field was backed by transport officials on the basis there were plans by rail operators to introduce a 50-space car park on the land next to the current station parking area, known locally as Foggo’s Yard.

National Express East Coast and Network Rail were granted a certificate of lawfulness by East Lothian Council in 2008, approving their right to turn the land into additional parking.

But the work has not been carried out and more recently the council has been negotiating to take over the land and build its own car park.

Under the local housing policy, the new housing site was marked out as land which could only be developed if a public car park was included in the plans, but the council waived the rule when it gave planning permission for a nursing home on the land four years ago – but that has not subsequently been built.

Planning officers urged councillors to approve the housing development, saying they had set a precedent that a car park was not essential there by approving the nursing home.

But Mr Hampshire insisted they should revert to the old local housing policy to avoid losing the land altogether.

He said: “We need to provide an alternative to the station.” However, Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader, warned committee members not to make decisions based on the possible failure of negotiations on another matter.

He said: “I don’t think we can decide planning applications on discussions which are not part of the application process.” The committee voted 9-7 to reject the proposal.

A council spokeswoman for said discussions were ongoing over the land north of the station.

She said: “Negotiations are ongoing with the various parties that have an interest in Dunbar station.”