You reported recently that, despite hundreds of evidence-based objections from the Gullane, Aberlady, Dirleton and Drem areas, councillors approved the plan to be sent to the Scottish Government with no modifications whatsoever.
Surely large-scale housing development should be a matter of dialogue between planners and the knowledge and expertise of the local populations? In this case a wealth of local experience has been ignored. At least we now know what our councillors think of those who elected them! It would have been more honest for councillors to have said from the beginning of the process that we could object or make constructive suggestions all we wished but they had produced the local plan and would not alter it.
And what is their vision for the area? The council’s wording about their dismissal of objections makes it clear it has accepted that the area will face serious damage to our way of life. This is because their solution to horrendous infrastructure deficiencies will be ‘mitigation’ measures. The Oxford Dictionary defines mitigation as making some action "less serious, severe or painful". So thanks for that. The developments here will be damaging for all of us, but could be even worse.
Added to the lack of vision is a lack of leadership or willingness to fight for their constituents. I have yet to learn about the resignation in protest of any of our local councillors. Councillors apparently blame the Scottish Government for imposing developments, but they have now jeopardised seriously any future attempt to argue a case against specific developments at reporter inquiries.
Local disappointment will be huge but some consolation is that, if not the council, many groups and individuals at least were prepared to defend our villages, our environment and our way of life.
Russell Dick, The Paddock, Gullane
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