A DOCTOR appealed to councillors to turn down plans to build 140 new homes on the outskirts of North Berwick.

Dr Claire Doldon, of North Berwick Health Centre, said her practice was at capacity and unable to cope with more new residents coming into the town.

And on Tuesday she urged East Lothian Council’s planning committee to reject the Miller Homes plans for Ferrygate Farm, south of Dirleton Road, saying: “There is no capacity at the health centre for us to keep taking extra patients.” Planning officials had already recommended councillors turn down the application on the grounds it might set a precedent for further development in the surrounding land, when Dr Doldon made her plea on behalf of the centre.

She said the practice was already struggling to work out how it was going to cope when residents move into the 400 houses which have been given the go-ahead at Mains Farm, to the south of the town.

Dr Doldon said: “We already have 7,900 patients with only five full-time doctors. There is no space at the health centre and we do not know how we are expected to cope with the additional residents already planned. We cannot take on another 140 homes.” Dr Doldon said that traffic in North Berwick was also a major concern, pointing out that the road to the health centre was often packed with parked cars and people were unable to drive to it.

And she said congestion was so bad in the town already that she often struggled to find a place to park when carrying out home visits.

Councillors were told there was no legal obligation for developers to make any funding or provisions for health facilities as part of their proposals.

North Berwick councillor Jim Goodfellow launched a blistering attack on the developer, pointing out previous applications for the site had been thrown out by the council and failed to win backing on appeal to the Scottish Government.

He also said the community had made it clear in public consultations as far back as 2008 that they did not want more housing to the west of the town, where the site is proposed.

Mr Goodfellow said: “Since then, the development of this site has been consistently rejected by the North Berwick community at a public meeting, by North Berwick Community Council, by Gullane [Area] Community Council and by the Dirleton Village Association, and through the Scottish Government planning appeal process.

“When is this developer going to take the hint? They have been talking to the North Berwick community for so long now that I wouldn’t be surprised if the community council was seeking an interdict to prevent any further harassment.” And he accused Miller Homes of seeking to make money at any costs, saying: “This is an application based purely on profit for the developers and offers no benefit for the communities.” A statement for Miller Homes to the committee had meanwhile said: “In my lengthy experience, I have never come across precedence as a reason for refusal.” Both North Berwick Community Council and Gullane Area Community Council sent representatives to object to the planning application, which was rejected by the planning committee.

Only two councillors, leader of the SNP opposition Stuart Currie, and Councillor Kenny McLeod, voted to approve the application.