PROPOSALS to create key roads ahead of an ambitious development on the outskirts of Dunbar are with East Lothian Council.

Nearly 50 documents highlighting the first phase of plans for more than 54 acres of land to the rear of the town’s Asda store are being weighed up by the local authority’s planning department.

The development, which was first revealed by the Courier earlier this year, could eventually be used for office, industrial, retail, leisure, extra-care facilities, community uses and housing.

Hallhill Developments Ltd, which is behind the plans for DunBear Park, hopes approval of the roads will allow the full site to be developed at the earliest opportunity.

Access would come from the road between the Asda store and Dunbar Garden Centre, as well as another road between Asda and McDonald’s.

Last month, Ken Ross, on behalf of the applicants, said: “We are delighted to be bringing forward proposals for the delivery of this exemplar low-carbon community, including the submission of our renewable energy strategy, to the council, along with road, footpath and cycleway planning applications.

“In the recent consultation we undertook, there was overwhelming support from the community for this being a low-carbon development. Adopting the latest low-carbon technology will not only provide clean green energy for our own development, but also on occasion feed a surplus back into the local grid.”

East Lothian Council aims to decide the fate of the latest planning application before Christmas, with the developer previously outlining hopes that the work could get under way early in the new year.

The development would be located next to the DunBear sculpture, which was unveiled last year.

A separate application for advertising consent has also been lodged with East Lothian Council. That would see a sign put in place between the Asda filling station and Spott Roundabout highlighting the “low-carbon community” as well as “retail, leisure, office and industrial premises available”.