THE former home of the Church of Scotland’s counselling service could be transformed into apartments.

CrossReach, which aims to offer care to people of all ages who are in need of a helping hand, moved out of the St Andrews Centre, at 9 Bayswell Road in Dunbar, at the end of March and is now based in Prestonpans.

Now, a planning application for four apartments to be created in the former manse has been lodged with East Lothian Council.

Harrison Hunt (The Manse) Ltd, the applicant, is keen to see work carried out on the building, which is not listed but does lie within the town’s conservation area.

According to the developers: “The old manse is currently empty following the decision by the former tenant, Church of Scotland, to relocate their social work services to an alternative location.

“Given the previous and historic residential use of the building, it is now considered timely and appropriate to revert this vacant building back to a residential use.

“The building has had several internal alterations over the years and, as such, will benefit from a comprehensive internal remodelling to bring the building up to 21st-century standards.

“Rather than try to provide a single residential unit, we consider that a more appropriate use will be to split the building into four units, thereby complying with good practice on appropriate re-use of buildings and making efficient use of land for housing.”

The plans show a three-bedroom and one-bedroom apartment on the ground floor, with a two-bedroom apartment on the first floor.

The second floor would also contain a two-bedroom apartment.

Further development of the site could take also place in the future.

The developer noted that the current proposals formed the second part of a three-phase plan.

The first phase, which is already complete, saw more than a dozen properties built on the site.

Meanwhile, the final phase is a social housing proposal, with no planning application yet with the local authority.

Pippa Swan, chairwoman of the town’s community council, said “high-quality infill” developments had to be welcomed.