CONTROVERSIAL plans to remove a hedgerow to build two new school pitches have narrowly won approval from councillors, despite pleas from parents and pupils.

East Lothian Council planners insisted that the proposals for the new rugby pitches and track at North Berwick High School were the best option to meet the demands of a growing population and set out plans to mitigate the loss with planting.

But a meeting of the council’s planning committee today heard objections from the school’s parents council and a representative of the pupils, and their eco-committee, both calling for the hedgerow to be kept and an alternative site found.

Approving the proposals by six votes to five at the meeting, the committee agreed to refer their decision to Scottish Ministers for an independent review given the "substantial" level of protests from the community.

The meeting heard that there had been 35 public objections lodged to the plans to build the pitches on agricultural land next to the school, as well as from North Berwick Community Council.

The application, which was on behalf of the council, was called in to the planning committee for a decision by local members after officers recommended it for approval.

READ MORE: Hedge to be removed in controversial high school plans

Council officers said that 142 metres of hedgerow in the field needed to be removed to provide school staff with a "clear sightline" for pupils using the new pitches and that the removal would be mitigated by new plantings on the boundary of the area which would, they said, eventually have a higher carbon capture than the current plants.

Concerns were raised by both the school’s parent council and pupil representative about a lack of public consultation on the plans.

Both said that another option which had originally been put forward would be better and would allow the pitches to be created without removing the hedgerow.

And both criticised the school, claiming that attempts to carry out formal consultations with students were blocked.

Nicola McDowell, the council's head of education, told the meeting that the school had held a full assembly on the plans for pupils where they were told how they could express their views on the application if they wanted to.

However Finlay McIlwraith, speaking on behalf of pupils against the application, told the committee: “Telling a lot of young children to go on the council’s planning portal is not carrying out a meaningful consultation.

“This was such a good opportunity to get young people involved and it was missed.”

Senior student Finlay told the committee that he started a petition against the removal of the hedgerow which had over 1,000 signatures – several hundred from pupils at the school, which has a current roll of 1,050.

Close vote

North Berwick Community Council urged the committee to defer a decision on the application, accusing the council of “relentlessly pushing it through”.

Planning officers had pointed out that the proposed pitches were in the council’s approved Local Development Plan and did not need to go out for public consultation.

Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Provost, responded to criticism of the planning process involved, telling objectors: “I have never found any blatant or cavalier officers in our midst”.

He backed the recommendation to approve the plans, saying he was satisfied with the mitigation measures in place for the loss of the hedgerow.

However, ward councillor Jeremy Findlay opposed the plans, saying that the pitches were needed but in the wrong place.

The committee approved the application by six votes to five, with planning convenor Norman Hampshire and councillors John McMillan, Andrew Forrest, Colin McGinn, Colin Yorkston (all Labour) and Kenny McLeod (independent) backing it.

Those against were councillors Jeremy Findlay, Donna Collins (both Conservative), Liz Allan, Cher Cassini and Neil Gilbert (all SNP).

Green councillor Shona McIntosh did not vote after declaring an interest at the start of the meeting.

She said: "I am going to declare an interest, my branch has taken quite a strong position on this and I know many of the objectors personally, so I am going to withdraw from that discussion."

Speaking after the meeting, Conservative councillor Jeremy Findlay criticised the decision. 

He said: "Yet again the council and the Labour administration do not listen to the people of North Berwick.

"They ignored the perfectly reasonable option of looking at another solution to the North Berwick High School playing field expansion which had the backing of the community council, parent council and pupils that would have not necessitated the destruction of the mature hedgerow.

"Short-termism seems to win over long-term sustainable planning. “

The final decision will only be issued once it has been reviewed by Scottish Ministers.

Following the meeting, an East Lothian Council education spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the planning committee resolved to grant planning permission.

“The application was subject to robust scrutiny and debate within the committee chamber.

"Officers were present to talk about the proposals and to clarify points that were raised to provide accuracy and allow the application to be discussed within the context of wider council policies and statutory requirements.

“The application is required so that we can extend the school campus boundary in a way that meets our legislative education requirements and provides a safe environment for North Berwick High School’s young people.

"Throughout this process, we have been clear that there will be a loss of part of a hedgerow on existing boundary but, through extensive and careful planting, we will mitigate against this and enhance the current biodiversity value.”