Private car park at Hopes Estate 'regretfully' approved

East Lothian Council’s planning committee approved the car park, at Hopes Reservoir, south of Gifford, agreeing a condition which will see it open four days a week.

However, councillors expressed regret at not being able to persuade the landowner to open it longer or on Saturdays, or change the permit policy which allows only 20 permits a month, which have to be bought at a nearby village shop.

The owners of the Hopes Estate at the reservoir had created the private car park after saying that increased visits to the area during Covid restrictions had left them having to clean up human faeces and deal with anti-social behaviour and parking problems.

Concerns were raised at a meeting of the committee in March over actions allegedly taken by the estate to discourage the public from parking at an adjacent car park – which is owned by Scottish Water and free to use – or on verges.

Objectors said that signs letting the public know they could use Scottish Water’s car park free of charge were removed, while planters and obstacles placed on the verges.

Councillors agreed that they were minded to approve the private car park in March once an agreement had been reached between the estate and planners over the hours that the private car park would be open.

READ MORE: Controversial Hopes Estate car park for permit holders gets permission

The estate’s representatives said that the site was used as part of its sheep management programme and needed to be closed on certain days to allow them to be gathered on it.

At Tuesday’s meeting, planners said that they had been unable to reach an agreement with the owners and asked councillors to approve the car park with the condition it be open from 8am to 7pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with a Friday opening added in December and January each year.

Councillor Cher Cassini questioned why the sheep management work had to be carried out on a Saturday, saying: “Sheep do not care what day it is.”

And fellow councillor Donna Collins said that the estate would have to have “10,000” sheep on the hill to need to carry out management so often.

Councillor Norman Hampshire, planning convenor, told the committee that he would support the planning application because “the landowner indicated that if we do not grant planning permission, he would remove it and there would be no parking there”.

However, he stressed that the Scottish Water free car park was also available at the site and urged officers to ensure that it continued to be accessed by the public freely.

Fellow councillor John McMillan also expressed regret that the landowner had not been persuaded to open the private car park more at the weekends and for longer hours.

He said: “I am sad about where we are with this application, I had hoped the application would be willing to listen and reach a compromise around Saturdays.”

The committee voted by seven to four to approve the application.

READ MORE: Ramblers Scotland hit out at 'obstruction' to Hopes Estate access

Following the meeting, Alastair Shepherd, one of the objectors, told the Courier that, while he was disappointed that the car park had been granted permission, he was delighted that the applicant had admitted in a public meeting that they neither owned nor had any control over the Scottish Water car park, which it was noted by Mr McMillan was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mr Shepherd added: "The council roads officer is in discussion with the applicant regarding the removal of verge obstructions and misleading signage, and it is expected that these will be removed in the next few weeks.

"At last, members of the public will be able to use the Scottish Water car park without fear of being turned away by the estate.

"Those who wish to use the new car park, and are happy to pay to do so, have an alternative parking area; and responsible verge parking is available all the way down the road as far as West Hopes."