A FORMER factory could be turned into a new housing and business development under ambitious new plans.

Forty-two apartments, specially designed for people over the age of 60, are planned for the site on Tantallon Road, North Berwick.

McCarthy & Stone is proposing to redevelop the former Ben Sayers factory site into a new mixed use residential and business development.

Currently part of the building houses the popular theSPACE facility, which includes a skatepark, cafe and music practice rooms among other facilities, but it is coming to the end of its lease and is now looking for an alternative site to move to to ensure it can survive.

Business Jerba Campervans is also based at the building but last summer was granted planning permission to move to Halfland Barns.

The site has been largely underused since the factory closed in 2003 and is being made available for development once the theSPACE’s lease comes to an end in March.

The £5.4 million retirement development would include a shared residents’ lounge, guest accommodation, house manager and 24-hour emergency care line.

New modern business units would be developed on the same site, providing a minimum of 530 square metres, with the potential to add an additional 413 square metres, of space to help attract and retain business to the local area.

There would be 25 car parking spaces for the retirement apartments, based on the typically reduced car ownership of older residents, with up to 22 spaces for the business units.

Now, members of the public will get the chance to see the plans for themselves, with a public exhibition being held at St Andrew Blackadder Church on Monday, 2-8pm.

Steve Wiseman, managing director of McCarthy & Stone in Scotland, said the proposal was designed to complement the local area.

“Our Retirement Living developments have also been proven to have a number of wider community benefits, including helping older people to downsize, which in turn can free up local family housing for sale,” he said.

“We’re very keen to get feedback from the community before we submit a planning application to East Lothian Council, so I would urge people to come to the exhibition and meet the team.”