A NURSING home is to return to Cockenzie House after controversial plans for a care home in the historic building’s grounds were given the go-ahead – thanks to the council’s planning spokesman’s casting vote.

A 60-bedroom care home could now be built on the eastern side of the site on Edinburgh Road, Cockenzie, although calls have been made for Scottish Ministers to look at the decision again.

Category A-listed Cockenzie House was used as a nursing home up until April 2008 when it closed, with owner Jim McDonald citing financial difficulties following a ban on new admissions by the Care Commission.

The closure saw a bitter political spat between the then-ruling SNP /Lib Dem administration and the Labour opposition.

Some 80 jobs were lost and the 54 residents were relocated to other care facilities across East Lothian.

In 2013, Mr McDonald applied to build a new 65-bed home in the East Garden of the House, which he owned, but planning permission was denied by a vote of 7-6 at the council’s planning committee.

At a meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee on Tuesday, members were split 8-8 on whether to approve or refuse the latest scheme, with convenor Councillor Norman Hampshire using his casting vote to break the deadlock.

The 13-page report by planning officials noted that there had been a total of 13 written representations to the scheme, including from Historic Scotland and the Board of Cockenzie House and Gardens.

According to the report: “Historic Scotland object to the planning application as they advise that the proposed nursing home would have a major negative impact on the integrity of the Cockenzie House Designed Landscape.” Meanwhile, the report also noted that the proposed care home building would “dominate and compete with the listed building within the site such that the listed building would no longer be the focus of its setting”.

That view was expressed despite the proposals, from Patricia McDonald and Gilberts, being reduced from 66 rooms to 60 and being two-storey tall rather than three-storey, as outlined in previously refused proposals.

Another group against the plans was the village’s community council, who met hours after the council meeting on Tuesday night.

Chairwoman Sheila Chambers expressed her shock at the decision, while member Bryan Hickman told members that councillors had put jobs and need ahead of any objections, but that the decision would now go before the Scottish Government for review.

Mrs Chambers said: “The decision is a shock and not what we expected. If there is any way we can support objections we will do it.” At the planning meeting, council leader Willie Innes, a local ward councillor, had told members he had recently visited Cockenzie House and was “extremely impressed”, praising the work of the trust which holds community events there.

However, he was unconvinced that the introduction of a care home would be the wrong move.

He said: “I don’t believe it will have a detrimental impact on Cockenzie House in terms of size and scale. I think it will bring jobs to the area and fulfil a need for elderly people in the area who will have a home to be cared for.” Mr Hampshire acknowledged that efforts to revitalise Cockenzie House’s role in the community were excellent but added that the care home would create jobs and described the need for a care home as “absolutely essential”.

After the meeting, Councillor Stuart Currie, leader of the opposition SNP Group, wrote to Scottish Ministers, calling for them to look again at the matter and reverse the decision.

Mr Currie said: “This decision, on the casting vote of the chairperson, was a disgrace.

“Three out of the four ward members urged the committee to refuse the application, with only Councillor Willie Innes arguing for this application.

“Historic Scotland had strongly objected to the proposal and council officers had made clear the application should be refused.

“The local community have transformed the former care home into a first-class visitor attraction supporting dozens of jobs and have been badly let down by Councillor Innes and his supporters.

“Our last hope must now be that Scottish Ministers call in and reverse the application to protect Cockenzie House and support the local community.”