A COUPLE’S bid to build a new home after an “exhaustive search” has been rejected by East Lothian Council.

Estate gamekeeper Gary MacPherson and Anna Smith had hoped to build a house for a growing family at Newmains, near Whitekirk.

However, the local authority’s planning department has turned down the application.

An appeal could be lodged against the decision, which was made last month.

East Lothian Council received no objections from members of the public to the plans for the property.

The house would have had four bedrooms, as well as a dressing area and family area.

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A document submitted in support of the application noted: “This is a very specific project for the applicants who would occupy the new home at Newmains.

“Mr MacPherson was born and brought up in the area, attended the local schools and works locally as an estate gamekeeper. He very much wants to raise his family in the area.

“His elderly parents live close by and are increasingly dependent on his ongoing daily support.

“Ms Smith runs her own small business from home and as such does not travel for work.

“Over the past few years, Anna and Gary have lived at Gay Cottage, one of the adjacent properties to the application site (the other being Grieves Cottage).

“During this time, they have undertaken an exhaustive search for a property suitable for a growing family, Gary’s job and work patterns, whilst also acting as a base for Anna as a mother and entrepreneur.

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“This search has looked at some of the many newbuild properties across East Lothian as well as ad hoc established properties that have become available nearby.

“The latter tend to be very expensive whilst the former are not compatible with Gary’s occupation where he works unsociable hours and may be using estate-type vehicles on any given day (quad bike/four-wheel drives etc).”

The owner of Newmains Farm had offered to sell a plot of land to Mr MacPherson and Ms Smith for the purpose of building their new home.

However, the local authority has turned down the application on three grounds.

Planning officials noted that the proposed house was not in an area designated for housing in the latest Local Development Plan.

The planning officer’s report said that the existing houses were not defined as a settlement but instead were “located within the countryside”.

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They said that approving the application would “constitute sporadic development in the countryside”.

The planning official said that the development was in the countryside and the creation of a house on the site would be “new build” in the countryside.

Finally, they deemed that the development was not “directly linked” to a rural business or for essential workers.

Tony Thomas, of agents APT Planning & Development, told the Courier that the possibility of an appeal would now be weighed up.

He said: “The client is taking their time to look at the options, weighing up benefits and costs of submitting an appeal.”