A CAR park for construction workers at a housing development on the outskirts of Dunbar has been given the go-ahead.

Permission was given three years ago for 115 houses at Newtonlees, east of the East Coast Main Line.

Last year, Robertson Homes Limited applied for permission to create the car park, near Broxburn, for a period of two years.

The report by East Lothian Council’s planning officer noted that the intention of the car park was “to provide a secure off-street car parking area for construction workers of the adjacent residential development at Newtonlees”.

The plans were given the go-ahead but did attract criticism from both a member of the public and West Barns Community Council.

The member of the public claimed that workers “won’t use” the car park and that an existing car park within the development “isn’t used by workers, and cars and vans are parked on the public road next to the site”.

Meanwhile, the community council criticised the developer for not having discussions with the residents of Newtonlees Steading about the proposed car park.

However, the planning officer wrote: “The temporary existence of the proposed temporary vehicular access, car park, gates and fencing would not have any significant harmful impact on the long-term visual amenity of the area and would not harm the privacy or amenity of any neighbouring property or land use.”