A PROPOSED car wash on the outskirts of Haddington has been turned down after planning officials deemed it would not “complement this important gateway location into Haddington”.

Gleam Machine Haddington was looking to open a drive-in car wash business next to the town’s retail park.

Haddington's western edge has changed considerably in recent years, with the creation of the retail park and hundreds of new homes.

East Lothian Council turned down the development, which would have been off the A199, to the east of the Oaktree junction on the A1.

Planners outlined three conditions to refuse the scheme, including that it would have “a negative impact” on road safety.

Meanwhile, planners said: “The proposed car wash facility with office and pump house would not be a form of development that would complement this important gateway location into Haddington.

“Consequently the car wash facility with office and pump house would not be an appropriate form of development for this prominent roadside location in terms of its positioning and would not complement, but instead would detract from the character of its surrounding, including the adjacent Haddington Retail Development.”

READ MORE: Car wash business planned next to Haddington Retail Park

Documents included with the application highlighted that there would be two wash bays, with two car parks.

The business would have operated through a one-way system and vehicles exiting would only have been allowed to turn left due to the proximity of the roundabout.

Gleam Machine, who already operate another car wash facility in the county, suggested there would be nine full-time jobs, with a further four part-time jobs, created through the development.

Operating seven days a week, it would have been open from 8am to 6pm.

However, East Lothian Council’s planning department received two letters from members of the public, with one objecting to the proposals.

The objector felt it was “not appropriate development for a principle entry point into Haddington” while it would also compromise road safety and not provide suitable employment opportunities.

A second letter neither supported nor objected to the scheme but also outlined concerns about potential road safety.

Planners said the creation of the business in the proposed location would have "a negative impact on road safety".

The final reason was that the business did "not have an operational requirement for this countryside location".