A FAMILY working overseas has called on East Lothian Council to allow them to continue to let their property while they are in Australia.

The three-bedroom property on Gullane’s Rosebery Place is often used by people attending or working at the Scottish Open golf tournament, which has been held in the county for the last six years.

Now Norman Gray, who lives in New South Wales, has submitted an application to East Lothian Council for retrospective permission for a change of use from a flat to short-term holiday let.

A supporting statement notes that the property has been let to a family from November last year through to the beginning of April while renovations are being carried out on the tenants’ home.

The statement reads: “In May/June 2023, the flat was occupied for 31 continuous nights to a family waiting to move into their new home.

“For the last three years, two continuous weeks during the July Scottish Open, have been a mixture of temporary hospitality workers and golf tourists.

“Our personal family use is around six to eight weeks per year (when we return from Australia to visit).

“The total let nights for 2023 was 210 nights (including 65 consecutive nights as noted above).

“We really want to emphasise that short-term let covers a wide range of scenarios.

“There will always be a demand for short-term accommodation to support the requirements for temporary workers, visiting families, family circumstances and the tourism industry.

“‘Holiday let’ does not accurately describe the function of this accommodation.”

The statement stresses that it is “not our intention to over promote” the property, which is being let while the family work overseas.

It adds: “We feel the property being used is more beneficial to the local economy. There is no economic benefit to the community as an unused ‘residential’ three-bed flat located in the top three most visited places in East Lothian either in generating income in the locality or supporting local employment.”