AN UNDERPASS connecting new housing in Dunbar to the older part of the town is “needed”, according to a senior councillor.

Hundreds of new homes have been built at Hallhill, to the south of the East Coast Mainline, in recent years.

Further housing is planned to the west of the Lochend campus of Dunbar Primary School, with the proposed development key in an attempt to see a pedestrian link under the busy railway line.

Councillor Norman Hampshire, who represents the Dunbar and East Linton ward, highlighted that a new underpass could be created near Ash Grove, with a previous tunnel under the railway ruled out.

The depute leader of East Lothian Council told Dunbar Community Council: “The tunnel that is there has been filled in and Network Rail have said to the council that you can open it up again but if you do open it again then the council will be liable for the structure going forward.

“That has now been ruled out as an option because the public liability on the East Coast Mainline is absolutely massive. The council could not take on that liability.

“Network Rail said if you want a new underpass then you have to create a brand new underpass further along from where that old one used to be.

“We have got a site where it can go and obviously the layout of the development has been done so we can create the path network to get to that underpass but obviously there is a substantial cost.

“The developers will pay so much towards it and the balance will have to be found from another source.

“The council is determined that we need another pedestrian route at that end of the development.”

Currently, the only pedestrian route under the railway line is beside Hallhill Sports Centre.

It is hoped that a new underpass would improve the connectivity between the town’s primary school, as well as Dunbar Grammar School, and Hallhill.

Community councillors are planning to meet with the local authority’s paths network officer in a bid to highlight issues in the area.

Taylor Wimpey East Scotland and Hallhill Developments Ltd’s plans for Hallhill North, between the primary school and Beveridge Row, were first submitted to East Lothian Council in February last year.

The fate of the proposals for 202 houses and 40 flats is yet to be decided, with new documents, including a transport assessment, uploaded last month.

The potential underpass is included in the council’s Local Development Plan (LDP).

Previously, it was outlined that any tunnel under the railway would likely cost in excess of £1 million, with Jacquie Bell, community council secretary, describing it as “pretty expensive stuff”, with potential disruption to the railway line.

Members agreed there was a need for improved pedestrian links from the development to the rest of the town.

Pippa Swan, chairwoman of the community council, said: “We absolutely do need another pedestrian route.”