A 60-BED care home in Haddington has been given the green light – just days after plans for a similar sized facility were submitted to East Lothian Council.

As many as 100 jobs could be created thanks to the care home and children’s nursery on land to the west of the town’s Gateside Road.

Mansfield Care, which operates a number of care homes throughout Scotland, applied to the local authority at the beginning of the year for permission for the two facilities. Two objections were received but the scheme has been given the green light.

The approval comes just days after plans to revive Haddington’s Templedean Hall and create a 60-bed care home were submitted to East Lothian Council.

It is anticipated that 60 full-time and 20 part-time jobs will be created at the Gateside care home, plus a further 20 full-time nursery jobs.

And it is hoped the care home will be ready for use by March 2023.

Andrew Hume, of Mansfield Care, said: “This is our most ambitious and exciting project to date and is set to be of huge benefit to the local community.We have been diligent in our planning to provide the best possible care facilities that are in line with current and emerging guidelines following the pandemic.

“It is our largest undertaking to date and will be our first purpose-built-from-scratch care home, presenting an exciting opportunity for us, but also people who require this service in Haddington and in the surrounding area.”

The three-storey care home will be built to the north-west of the site, with the nursery to the south-east. Access to both developments will come from a new road off Gateside Road.Each floor of the care home is split into two wings, each housing 10 bedrooms. Day and dining rooms are in place on each floor, with other facilities including a private meeting room, kitchen, hairdressing salon and cinema.

Meanwhile, the nursery would have capacity for up to 60 children and have two large indoor play areas, as well as facilities such as a kitchen, office and toilet.

Objectors claimed that there was no demand for a nursery and that surrounding properties would lose their views – neither of which are “material considerations in the determination of this planning application”.

It is the second time permission has been given for a care home on the site – but the original developers quickly pulled out in the face of a separate nursing home on Haddington’s Mill Wynd progressing. Planning permission was then given for a builders’ merchant but the developers opted against going ahead with the scheme in the face of local opposition.

Craig Hoy, South Scotland MSP and a councillor for the Haddington and Lammermuir ward, had been heavily involved in helping residents of nearby properties in the fight against the builders’ merchant.

He said: “I think it is good news.

“What it does do is give some clarity for local residents about what will be happening on that piece of land.

“The nursery and the care home are a far better option and will provide both local jobs and amenity services for residents. I think it is good news and a much better alternative to the builders’ merchant, which was rightly unpopular even though it was given planning consent.”

As previously reported in the Courier, Knowe Properties Ltd is seeking planning consent to turn former Haddington nursing home Templedean Hall, on Templedean Park, into a modern, 60-bed care home.