WORK on 89 houses on the outskirts of Haddington is expected to begin early in the New Year.

Bett Homes got the go-ahead recently for the new houses on Aberlady Road after a successful appeal to the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government-appointed Reporter, Donald Harris, issued a notice of intention last November before giving the scheme, located to the north of the houses on Haldane Avenue, the final thumbs-up earlier this summer.

The application had initially been turned down by East Lothian Council’s planning committee.

A Bett Homes spokeswoman said: “The site on Aberlady Road is in a highly sought-after location, which befits the quality of Bett Homes’ product.

“Our planning proposal for the site comprises 89 properties, ranging from two and three-bedroom semi-detached and terraced units, through to a collection of four and five-bedroom detached homes.

“The site will be accessed via a new controlled junction off the A6137.

“We expect work to commence in early 2015, with the first homes ready the following summer. “Construction is likely to take approximately three and a half years.” East Lothian has been tasked with finding 6,250 houses between 2009 and 2019, with 3,800 between 2019 and 2024.

Mr Harris said there was “a substantial shortfall” in the supply of housing land in East Lothian.

He added: “The shortfall occurs notwithstanding the potential availability of housing land at the Letham Mains site on the south-west side of Haddington.” Opposition to the proposal was expressed by residents of the houses on Haldane Avenue and Vert Court, as well as concerns from the town’s community council.

But Mr Harris added: “In these circumstances, I consider that the proposed development need not cause unacceptable damage to the residential amenity of nearby dwellings.

“I appreciate the residents’ concerns about losing the open views from the rear of their properties, but there is no right to a view.” In his conclusions, the Reporter outlined he had considered the various representations, including the concerns of the town’s community council.

But he added none of the other matters had caused him to alter his decision to give the scheme the green light.

Jan Wilson, chairwoman of the town’s community council, said the group had a number of issues with the scheme, including access and the current speed limit on Haldane Avenue, which is 40 miles per hour.

One of the other concerns was the sheer number of new houses planned for the town, which sits at more than 1,000.

She said: “Every little nook and cranny in Haddington is being built on.”