PLANNERS who rejected a bid to turn a coastguard station into a house over a lack of “outlook” were wrong because it looks out onto the beach, an appeal body will be told.

The plans for the former coastguard base in Dunbar were rejected by East Lothian Council’s planners amid concern about the lack of garden and amenity and living space.

Judy Oxley, who is behind the proposal, and Sutherland and Co Architects Ltd, the agents, have appealed to the council’s Local Review Body to overturn the decision.

And in a supporting statement which will be presented to the body when it meets via Skype today (Thursday), the agents challenge the concern over amenity.

In their statement, they point out that the new home, on the town’s Lamer Street, will look out onto the beach, a point they said was made to planners at the time of the original application.

They said: “We made the point that the proposal includes a balcony and ground to the rear for amenity. The site is also opposite the beach.”

Despite its proximity to the beach, planning officers ruled there was insufficient amenity.

They also pointed out that the living space in the proposed bijou beach front home would give any occupant just nine square metres of living/kitchen space.

The plans to turn the station into a one-bedroom house were lodged after it went on the market for £60,000 when the emergency service moved to a new base elsewhere in the town.

Plans lodged with the council proposed creating a living area downstairs and an upstairs bedroom with a balcony which would look out onto the sea.

However, revised plans used part of the downstairs area for parking and cut the space available.

A report by East Lothian Council’s planning officer said: “Given the small area of the ground floor and that within that area the wet room and stairs would be provided, the actual living/kitchen area of the house would amount to around nine square metres.”

The Local Review Body will meet to discuss the appeal this afternoon (Thursday).