RESIDENTS of a rural lane which was to be used to access a new housing development have won their fight to shut new residents out.

About 80 per cent of people living on Letham Mains Lane objected to plans by developers of a new 274-unit housing site to create a second access onto it through their unclassified single lane.

And at a virtual meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee, councillors backed their views and ordered developers to shut the access to vehicles.

Local resident Andrew Wilson, who spoke on behalf of the majority of the 30 households whose sole access is through the lane, which goes from Pencaitland Road in Haddington to the A199 and access to the A1, said he found it “incredible” that the proposal to use it had made it to planning committee.

And he said that despite the council’s own transport officers insisting they did not believe the new housing would have a detrimental impact on the lane, they were wrong.

He argued that the lane would be a rat run alternative to a main distributor road, which officers believed the majority of people would use but which was going to have three sets of traffic lights for them to contend with.

He told the committee: “Common sense, experience and scientific research – see Braunschweig technical university paper – demonstrate that the rat run will be attractive. It will also be chosen by sat navs and mapping applications.

“If you allow the connection to be built, people will use it.”

The committee was told that the lane had no pavement and was used by walkers, cyclists and children going to school, as well as people on mobility scooters.

Pictures of HGVs and large vehicles attempting to use the lane were produced to show its unsuitability.

Residents argued that approving the access would breach council policy T2, which says that new development should not have adverse significance to road safety and “the convenience, safety and attractiveness of walking and cycling in the surrounding area”.

Councillor Craig Hoy, ward member, who is not on the planning committee, also spoke on behalf of residents, arguing that T2 meant that Letham Mains Holdings, which the lane serves, should retain its rural character.

Officers and developer Taylor Wimpey, which is overseeing part of the new site, attended the meeting and told committee members that the access supported the “permeability” of the site by allowing those in the south-west corner who wanted to go to Pencaitland an easier route.

However, the committee was told that more than 30 objections had been lodged, with many not objecting to the housing but simply the use of the lane.

Provost John McMillan proposed a motion to attach a condition to the planning application which would prohibit access from the new housing into the lane by vehicles, with only pedestrian and cycle access allowed.

And Councillor Fiona O’Donnell agreed after looking at a photograph produced by Mr Wilson adding: “A picture can tell 1,000 words.”

The motion was unanimously approved.

Following the meeting, Mr Wilson said: “We’re delighted that the planning committee have unanimously made the correct decision and thrown out the proposed road connection.”