A HEARING into controversial plans to put a substation on part of the former Cockenzie Power Station site is to be held in October.

Scottish Ministers called in the planning application by Inch Cape Offshore Ltd (ICOL) earlier this year before East Lothian Council had been given a chance to make a decision on the proposal.

ICOL wants to build a substation, which will bring energy from an offshore windfarm onshore and into the National Grid, on the former power station footprint.

The application has been opposed by local community councils and the council, who believe it is not the best use of the site, which was bought by East Lothian Council from ScottishPower in March and is subject to an ongoing masterplan process for its future.

However, within weeks of the council buying the site, Scottish Ministers called-in the only lodged application for the land, from ICOL.

They said the move was because it was of “national importance” and denied any link to the fact that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was on a state visit to China – whose state-owned company Red Rock own ICOL – at the time of the announcement.

The reporter appointed to investigate the application carried out a site visit at the start of this month.

Following that visit, it was announced a hearing into the plans would be held and Allison Coard was named as the appointed reporter who would oversee the hearing and report back to ministers.

Ward councillor Lachlan Bruce welcomed the announcement.

He said: “I’m glad that there is going to be a hearing on this application.

“I, of course, would prefer if members of the public could also speak at the hearing to give their views and opinions but I do think that community councils being invited is a welcome step.

“Of course, this is again lengthening the process of the application out. If it had been left by the Scottish Government for East Lothian to make a decision we probably would have had an outcome by now and members of the public would also have had their chance to have a say.

“I am confident that the hearing will be a further step in helping to convince the Scottish Government’s independent reporter that the current Inch Cape application is wrong for the site and wrong for the people of Cockenzie and Port Seton and Prestonpans.”

Invitations have been sent out to Prestonpans and Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Councils inviting them to be represented at the hearing, along with East Lothian Council and representatives of ICOL.

All four have confirmed they will be attending the hearing.

In a statement following the visit, it was announced: “The reporter considers it would be helpful to have some wider community participation at the hearing and suggests that these views might be represented by one or both of the local community councils.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “The appointed Reporter has decided that a hearing should be held on certain matters to help her consider the application, and the council has confirmed in writing that we will participate in this procedure. The council welcomes the Reporter’s decision to invite both Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council and Prestonpans Community Council to participate in the hearing.”

A preliminary date for the start of the hearing has been announced as Tuesday, October 2, with a venue and more details of those attending to follow.

A spokesperson for ICOL said: “We welcome the announcement that a hearing will take place on the planning application for the proposed substation, in line with planning guidance for schemes of national importance. It is important that the local community has its say and we look forward to engaging with this process.”