WORK on 165 houses on the outskirts of Prestonpans can go ahead, after a condition which stopped anything being built until a cemetery had been approved was amended.

Developer Hallam Land Management Ltd wants to build the houses, along with retail units, a restaurant and a cemetery, on land at Dolphingstone Farm, opposite Royal Musselburgh Golf Club.

However, concerns from environment agency SEPA about the effect the cemetery could have on groundwater levels led to a condition stating that no development could begin on the land until SEPA was satisfied it would not have a negative impact.

Last week, developers went back to East Lothian Council’s planning committee to ask them to change the condition to state that the only part of the development which had to wait for SEPA approval was the cemetery itself, giving them the right to move forward with plans for the housing.

Prestonpans Cemetery is at crisis point, with planners warning it will be completely full in the next six months.

The graveyard, which lies off Nethershot Road, covers both the town and Cockenzie and Port Seton.

The new cemetery has been allocated 1.4 hectares of land at Dolphingstone.

Last year, Councillor Willie Innes, council leader, expressed his frustration at delays caused by SEPA, which lodged its objection on the day the planning committee met, an action he described as “appalling”.

Speaking at the time, Mr Innes said: “What Prestonpans needs is affordable housing and the 40 [affordable] houses here is a significant amount.”

SEPA said it considerd the possible impact on groundwater from the cemetery development to be a principal issue that should be addressed.

This month, the council’s planning committee approved a change to the condition so that the restriction only related to the cemetery and not the housing. A bid by the developer to have the condition removed outright was rejected by councillors.