A PLAN to transform The Quay in Musselburgh into a 40-bed care home has been given the green light by a Scottish Government Reporter.

Amanda Chisholm allowed the appeal for the former leisure complex, restaurant and function suites, which was lodged by Simply Musselburgh Care Limited following East Lothian Council’s refusal of the plan last summer.

READ MORE: Appeal made over Quay care home bid

She concluded: "The proposed development accords overall with the relevant provisions of the development plan and that there are no material considerations which would still justify refusing to grant planning permission.

"I have considered all the other matters raised but there are none which would lead me to alter my conclusions."

A meeting of the planning committee last June regarding The Quay, located at Fisherrow Harbour and owned by Dr Charan Gill, ended with a near-unanimous decision to turn down the nursing home proposal.

Only Councillor Norman Hampshire, planning committee convener, backed council officials’ recommendation to approve the plan.

READ MORE: Plans for care home at Quay refused - owner 'baffled'

The reporter's decision has been welcomed by Dr Gill, who said: "I am very pleased -– the right decision has been made.

"But I am disappointed that time has been wasted in between when we could have had a care home."

He added that he was "disillusioned" by the process, saying: "It beggars belief that 10 councillors on the planning committee could get it so wrong?

"There is something wrong with the system."

Local groups, including Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, Musselburgh Area Partnership and Musselburgh Conservation Society among others, called for the appeal to be thrown out.

Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, said: "I am extremely disappointed with the decision made by the reporter regarding The Quay.

"The majority of the community were opposed to this development happening and the reporter does not seem to have taken the objections into account.

"It is unfortunate that there are limited options to appeal this decision any further without going into significant legal costs."

Irene Tait, chair of Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, claimed that the views of local groups which opposed the plan had not been taken into consideration at all.