A MULTI-MILLION-POUND leisure facility on the site of a former golf clubhouse opens on Saturday.

Work has been taking place for more than 12 months transforming the former Whitekirk Golf and Country Club, which closed in 2016.

The equivalent of 30 full-time jobs have been created.

The new leisure complex – Whitekirk Hill – is the first phase of plans which could see 140 holiday lodges on the surrounding land.

The £3 million investment at the former clubhouse has led to the building being extended. Facilities include a pool, gym and wellness spa, as well as an impressive indoor children’s play barn, which is to open at a later date.

A café and restaurant also feature, with work going on throughout the week to ensure it is ready for the grand opening.

Brenda Campbell, general manager of Whitekirk Hill, ran the original leisure club on the site and has come back to East Lothian after working in her native South Africa.

She said: “The launch of Whitekirk Hill is something of a homecoming moment for me with my involvement in its former incarnation.

“It’s taken a huge amount of focus and effort but I’m really proud of the new lease of life we have brought about here.

“We have a truly superb range of facilities in a stunning spot in East Lothian, and a team who’re passionate about delivering a fantastic experience for our visitors, whether they come to eat, relax or play.”

The 100-seat restaurant will be run by head chef Fraser Brash, originally from Port Seton. Having worked in restaurants around the world, he is back in his home county with an emphasis on modern cuisine.

At the front of the building is the Orangery café, which will offer healthy choices, including vegan options and smoothies.

Meanwhile, the leisure facilities include a pool, sauna, hot tub and room, as well as a gym and studio.

One of the biggest changes in the building is the creation of a children’s play area, which can accommodate 100 children per session.

The second phase of the development could see about 140 holiday lodges and woodland pods created on the site.

The plans, which were submitted to East Lothian Council last year and have still to be determined, show a mix of designs, with buildings created over one, one-and-a-half and two storeys.

The site has had an eventful decade after the golf club opened in 1995. Ambitious plans were revealed in 2008 to develop the course, with a 100-bed hotel, new clubhouse and second golf course, as well as 21 lodges and 42 new homes proposed.

However, those proposals never got off the ground, with the worldwide financial crisis blamed.

Whitekirk Hill Limited are behind the new leisure development; well-known county businessman Jim Wilkie is a director of the company.