Despite East Lothian's SNP Councillors walking out of today's Council meeting, Councillor Michael Veitch welcomes the fact that the draft Land Development Plan endorses the compact rather than dispersed strategy, but highlights the need for infrastructure improvements.
Cllr. Veitch's full remarks to Council are as follows:
"When we debated the Main Issues Report consultation on 21 April, I said that the onus was on the council to ensure that the LDP be a genuine reflection of the views expressed by local people during this process.
"It is therefore vital to remember today that of the individual members of the public who responded to the consultation, many more supported the compact strategy, rather than the dispersed strategy.
"I therefore welcome the fact that the draft LDP endorses and embraces the compact strategy, ensuring that as far as possible, housing be clustered close to the main employment centres and transport arteries in the west of East Lothian.
"The dispersed alternative, would, in my opinion, be an unmitigated disaster, leading to the urbanisation of vast swathes of East Lothian’s countryside and
destroying the distinct rural character of the county which attracts people here in the first place.
"That said, the sheer scale of the requirement to provide land for 10,000 units which we have been set, by definition, necessities the allocation of sites across the whole county, which will not be easy.
"Many of us have major doubts as to the suitability of the current infrastructure to cope with new housing on this scale. Sheriffhall roundabout is regularly grid-locked. Peak time rail services between Edinburgh and North Berwick are woefully over-crowded. And we are still waiting for the long overdue re-opening of East Linton station and the dualling of the A1 trunk road to the English border. We desperately require the Scottish Government to step up to plate and invest some serious money in addressing these and other infrastructure requirements alongside the development of all these new properties.
"Finally, I would wish to make brief comment on the very helpful section on energy regeneration which begins on page 96. With a nuclear power station, numerous wind turbines and – until recently – a coal fired station, East Lothian is a major player in terms of Scotland’s energy generation, and our voice deserves to be heard at a strategic level.
"Concerns about the scale and pace of wind farm developments in our communities have been heard on many occasions in the Council chamber, and while I accept that our policies are inevitably subservient to the overall framework set in place by the Scottish Government (and about which I have grave concerns), I am satisfied that this draft LDP develops a rigorous framework by which all turbine applications must be assessed.
"Recent changes by the UK Government in terms of subsidy have also been extremely welcome in this area, and may now be having an effect in slowing down the level of proposed development.
"Page 103 also mentions Torness Power Station, the major employer in my own ward (and indeed county wide). Its importance for East Lothian (and Scotland as a whole) cannot be understated and I welcome its recognition here.
"Page 103 also notes the process for decommissioning, should that come about. Such an outcome, prior to a replacement being in place, would have a devastating effect on the economy of Dunbar and East Lothian (as well as on Scotland’s energy supplies) and I therefore very much hope that nuclear generation continues on site far beyond 2023.
"WARD
"East Linton
"Thank you Provost. I would like to begin my remarks by referring to East Linton. The MIR proposed no new housing sites in the village and this would have been my own preference. That said, I am fully aware of the very significant pressure which our planners are under to allocate sites, and I’m therefore satisfied that the allocation of land for 100 homes broadly corresponds with the view expressed by Dunpender Community Council whose consultation response said that if development were to happen then it should be adjacent to existing housing and limited to 150 units in total – including those already given planning consent in nearby Whitekirk.
"During the MIR consultation, the National Trust highlighted the need to protect the particularly sensitive eastern end of the village, which is something I have previously raised and strongly endorse.
"The suggested site to the west of the village is, I believe, the least worst option available to us, and ensures that any new housing be close to the recent new development at Orchardfield. It should also ensure that the traffic impact on the already over-crowded high street be minimised as traffic will be able to leave the village to the east or west without the need to enter the town centre.
"I also strongly welcome the fact that the Plan safeguards land for the new station, which cannot happen soon enough.
"Innerwick
"I have similar concerns about the proposal for c. 18 units at Kirk Brae, Innerwick. Innerwick is a very small community with its own special character, and it is vital that any development here be taken forward with the utmost sensitivity. On the plus side, the village enjoys reasonable public transport connections (130 and 253 bus services) and an excellent primary school, which we may assume will be boosted by any new housing.
"Dunbar
"Concluding with Dunbar, I suspect a majority of residents, myself included, have deep concerns about the very large scale of new housing developments which the 10,000 requirement necessitates. Dunbar must rank as one of the best places to live in Scotland, with superb amenities and a very attractive rural coastal setting. We also enjoy the benefits of direct rail services to destinations all across the UK from our mainline rail station, and access (in one direction anyway) to a dualled express-way.
"Demand for housing in Dunbar will always be with us, and must rightly be catered for. The recent developments at Hallhill are a case study in what modern housing developments should look like, being superbly integrated into the environs of Lochend woods which has been preserved amongst the houses.
"That said, the sheer scale and speed of development has been and remains intense, which poses huge problems for the local road network and schools. It’s therefore important that new housing in the town be taken forward hand in glove with practical solutions to improve the road connectivity between the new and existing parts of the town, alongside the growth of the school estate.
"In conclusion, Provost, while I would have preferred a reduced allocation in Dunbar and the surrounding area, I do accept that we are compelled to work within the allocation for 10,000 houses.
"Furthermore, were this Council to adopt a dispersed rather than a compact strategy, we can presumably assume that the housing allocation in Dunbar (and surrounding villages) would be greatly increased beyond that before us today."