AN APPEAL will be lodged after plans for a car wash – creating more than a dozen jobs – on the outskirts of Haddington were turned down.

Planning officials refused permission for Gleam Machine Haddington’s drive-in business, which would have been created off the A199, to the east of the Oaktree junction on the A1.

Officers highlighted three reasons for refusing the scheme, which would have created nine full-time jobs and four part-time jobs.

They felt it would “not be a form of development that would complement this important gateway location into Haddington” and that it was in a “countryside location”.

Concerns were also raised regarding road safety at the site.

Tony Thomas, of APT Planning and Development, representing the applicants, said: “We will prepare an appeal and lodge it as soon as we are ready to do so.”

The business has also taken to social media and encouraged people to contact ward councillors “expressing your disappointment in the decision and expressing support for this new venture”.