Second phase of development gets green light as part of broader tourism investment near North Berwick
EAST LOTHIAN — Plans to expand holiday accommodation at Whitekirk Hill near North Berwick have been approved by East Lothian Council’s Planning Committee, marking a significant next step in the site’s transformation into a year-round leisure destination.
At a meeting on Tuesday, 1 April, councillors approved the construction of 22 additional holiday lodges at the Whitekirk Hill site, formerly the Whitekirk Golf and Country Club. The application passed with nine votes in favour and one abstention, and no objections or public representations were received.
Whitekirk Hill currently features a leisure complex with a restaurant, bar, café, gym, swimming pool, and indoor and outdoor play areas. In July 2020, the site was granted planning permission in principle for up to 41 lodges. The new approval represents the second phase of the development, following a previous approval in November 2020 for nine lodges.
The latest phase includes 12 three-bedroom lodges and 10 one-bedroom micro lodges, some of which have already been partially constructed, along with associated access roads and parking areas.
In the same meeting, councillors also approved two other planning applications:
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Boggs Holdings, Pencaitland: A proposal for an agricultural building and new vehicular access was approved nine votes to one. The application, which had received seven objections regarding road safety and environmental concerns, was amended with an additional condition requiring agricultural vehicles to use only the new access road and not a lane shared with nearby residents.
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Gosford Road, Longniddry: A plan to replace an existing house with two new two-storey homes was unanimously approved. Despite five objections and concerns from the Longniddry Community Council over possible overdevelopment, the committee concluded the plans were suitable following a site visit.
The approved applications correspond to the following reference numbers:
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Whitekirk Hill: 23/00786/AMM and 18/01123/PPM
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Boggs Holdings: 24/00788/P
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Longniddry: 24/01416/P
