AN OFFICE which has sat empty at the heart of Musselburgh for 10 years looks set to be transformed into a home.

Attempts have been made over the last decade to try to find someone to take on the building on the town’s Bridge Street.

However, with those bids proving unsuccessful, Mr D Walton has now decided to convert the ground floor and lower ground floor into accommodation.

East Lothian Council’s planning department gave the plans, which attracted no objections from members of the public, the go-ahead.

According to the planning officer’s report: “The agent has advised that the property has been unoccupied since 2013.

“They state that their client did advertise this space for rent between 2013 and 2017 with a handful of interested parties, but they were unable to agree rental terms.

“The property has remained unoccupied since then, meaning it has been empty for approximately the last 10 years.

“The agent has also stated that the client had previously tried to let the property out just before the coronavirus pandemic but was unable to find a tenant and since then the rental market for this type of property has reduced further, with many people now working from home.

“They therefore state that the client is reluctant to take up more time and resources of their rental company unnecessarily.

“The agent has also submitted correspondence from Ryden, a commercial property agency, who have confirmed that they have previously dealt with the property.

“Ryden have provided their latest statistics for the office market in east central Scotland.

“This information highlights the difficult market conditions and the overall downturn in the secondary office market.”

Drawings included with the application show the lower ground floor featuring a gym and a study.

On the ground floor, there are two bedrooms, as well as a kitchen/dining area and living room.