Haddington housing plans labelled 'bad for East Lothian'

Members of the public will get a chance to see plans for an area of land to the west of the already-approved Letham Mains site – west of the town – for the first time this afternoon (Wednesday).

A public exhibition for the scheme, which is still in the very early stages, takes place at Haddington’s Trinity Centre, on Church Street, from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

Jim Stretton, who has lived in the Letham Mains smallholdings for almost 30 years, is one of those calling for East Lothian Council to turn down the proposals, which have been submitted by Clarendon Planning & Development Ltd.

Mr Stretton said: “We are registering these objections in the interests of the whole community and not merely to fight developments close to where we live.

“These proposals are bad for Haddington, bad for East Lothian and bad for all who care for the future of this wonderful part of Scotland.

“Clarendon are wilfully disregarding the Local Development Plan 2016, which has been put together by East Lothian Council as the best way of meeting the additional housing requirements of the county, and by so doing are displaying a total contempt for local democracy.

“We encourage Clarendon to bury these ill-considered proposals and ensure that they never see the light of day again.”

Mr Stretton, who founded the county’s popular Lammermuir Festival, has created a petition, which has been signed by a number of other residents of Letham Mains Holdings, and he plans to hand it over at the public exhibition next week, which takes place the day after Haddington’s community council holds its monthly meeting.

The site, to the north of A6093, Pencaitland Road, could potentially see in the region of 500 houses built.

A spokesman for Clarendon Planning & Development Ltd said the firm had received feedback from a number of residents but stressed this was the first step and there would be future consultation events.