A PROPOSED housing development on the outskirts of Haddington has taken a massive step towards reality – bringing the total number of new homes planned for the area to more than 1,000.

A Scottish Government-appointed Reporter has given Hallam Land Management Ltd’s scheme for Dovecot Farm the green light after months of negotiations.

That means up to 113 houses could be built on the site to the west of the town.

The Reporter was called in after East Lothian Council failed to determine the application within the alloted timeframe.

A similar situation occurred for a proposed development at Beveridge Row, Belhaven, when the same applicant also appealed against non-determination and a Reporter granted permission.

The Reporter for Dovecot Farm had stated last November he was minded to grant approval once a legal agreement between the developers and the council had been concluded –and now it has.

A council spokeswoman explained last November that the local authority had tried to agree an extension to the timeframe for deciding the development, including holding special meetings, but the developer had not agreed to it.

Now, the applicant must submit a detailed plan outlining the siting, design and external appearance of the properties on the site, as well as other details like play areas and parking space.

The site covers 6.7 hectares of land on the south-west side of the town.

It is bordered to the north by Pencaitland Road. Twenty-eight of the homes would be classed as affordable.

A spokesman for Hallam Land Management Ltd said: “We are obviously delighted the Reporter has come to the view that he has.

“We think it is a sensible decision given the decision by East Lothian Council since then to meet housing land requirements.” The spokesman could not confirm when detailed plans would be put forward, as that would likely come from a house building firm.

A total of 22 representations against the scheme were submitted to the local authority, with 12 representations going to the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals.

“Grounds for objection submitted in the representations include the points that there is plenty of land at Letham Mains and there is no need for development on the appeal site,” said Reporter Robert Maslin.

“The council points out that other appeal decisions have considered the overall supply of effective housing land in East Lothian, rather than the supply in a particular community.

"Thus, if it is considered that there is a shortfall in the overall land supply, progress with development at Letham Mains is not of material weight.” The new development looks set to be part of an extensive expansion of the town, with more than 800 homes proposed for Letham Mains, on the town’s western edge, along with two proposals for land at nearby Gateside East, which together could total nearly 200 houses.

Meanwhile, another Scottish Government Reporter issued a notice of intention last year to grant planning permission on appeal for the building of up to 89 houses on a site east of Aberlady Road and north of the houses on Haldane Avenue.

The council had refused the scheme planning permission last year.

Permission is now set to be granted for the site following the conclusion of negotiations.

Jan Wilson, chairwoman of the town’s community council, was worried about the continual expansion of the town, pointing out that, if the plans were approved, well over a thousand new homes would be built.

She said: “The town is going to increase by a third – that’s a lot.”