A DOZEN residents opposed to plans to demolish a historic building in North Berwick attended last week’s meeting of the town’s community council to voice their concerns.

The group of local residents are angered at proposals, put to East Lothian Council late last year by Duns-based solicitors Melrose and Porteous, which would see the Coach House demolished and replaced by a three-storey block of four flats.

More than 400 people have followed the campaign to ‘Save North Berwick’ on social media site Facebook, and North Berwick Community Council chair Sheila Sinclair confirmed that her group would also be objecting.

Tom Hardie, who spoke on behalf of some of the objectors, highlighted a number of reasons for their opposition, including: the change of use from commercial to residental use; that it would be detrimental to the conservation area; and access concerns relating to the proposed new junction.

The Coach House, at 21 Westgate, was built in the 1800s and was awarded a Heritage Year Award in 1975 by the Scottish Civic Trust, who confirmed they too had submitted an objection to East Lothian Council.

In a letter to the council, the Trust disagree that the building “has no significant architectural merit and does not contribute significantly to the conservation area”, as stated in the application’s design plan, and that they object to the demolition of “a traditional 19th-century building in good condition”.

An objection has also been raised by North Berwick Environment Trust, who believe the proposed new building would be “detrimental to the area”.

The deadline for objections was last Friday. The application will appear before the planning committee in due course.