NEARLY £7.5milion towards school facilities in Wallyford will be demanded as part of the price for a giant housing estate on the outskirts of the community.

East Lothian Council’s planning committee approved plans via a video conference this week for 600 to 800 houses at the south and east of the village and on land at neighbouring Dolphingstone.

Planning permission in principle for the development was initially granted nearly three years ago by the committee against the recommendation of their officers.

This week they were asked to agree to approve it on the understanding that developers pay £7,321,200 towards additional accommodation at the new Wallyford Primary and Nursery and the provision of a new Musselburgh secondary school.

They were also be asked to contribute over £420,000 towards road improvements at nearby Old Craighall and agreed developers would pay just under £200,000 to Network Rail to allow platforms in East Lothian to be extended to allow longer trains.

During the meeting it was revealed the council has bought land for a new secondary school just north of the housing site.

The plans take the total number of new homes approved for the Wallyford area alongside the ongoing St Clements Wells site, to about 2,050.

A report to councillors nxt week will say that an agreement on developers contributions between council officers and developers East Lothian Development Ltd have not been agreed and the figures required have now been revised as time has passed.

The proposed development at the site will also include community facilities with a possible local supermarket and several commercial units included in the plans.