PLANNING officials have recommended controversial proposals for the ‘relocation’ of a family park in East Lothian be refused.

A bid to move East Links Family Park from its site on the outskirts of West Barns to East Fortune Farm were first mooted at the beginning of last year.

A planning application from East Fortune Holdings Ltd was submitted to East Lothian Council in October.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), members of the local authority’s planning committee will consider the application.

READ MORE: Plans for family park at East Fortune Farm now revealed in full

Officers have recommended the application be refused on four grounds but it remains to be seen if elected members will back that recommendation.

Each of the four conditions relates to transport links to the site and road safety.

In the 26-page report, planners highlight the proposals would be “a significant traffic generating use located in the countryside which would not be capable of being conveniently and safely accessed on foot, by cycle or by public transport and would increase reliance on the private car”.

Meanwhile, concerns were also raised about the “visibility splay” on accessing the new site, as well as that the proposed family park would be “within a rural location not well served by public transport”.

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The report notes: “It would be a major development that would generate significant private car movements, with a consequential increase in carbon emissions.”

More than 550 letters were sent to East Lothian Council regarding the proposals.

The bulk of those – 461 – objected to the plans, including a petition with 313 signatures.

Eighty-eight letters were sent supporting the application, with six representations deemed too late and the remaining three did not object or support the proposals.

A spokesperson for those objecting encouraged people to meet outside East Lothian Council’s headquarters of John Muir House at 9.30am – 30 minutes before the council meeting is due to get under way.

He said: “We are asking people to be outside John Muir House on Tuesday morning to let councillors see the huge level of opposition they have to this bonkers plan.”

More than one million people have visited East Links Family Park since it opened its doors in 2002.

However, current leaseholder Grant Bell intends to walk away when his lease ends in two years.

AP Dale, who owns the land at West Barns, has repeatedly stressed that with or without Mr Bell the facility will continue to remain open.

The meeting of East Lothian Council’s planning committee takes place in Haddington Town House, as well as virtually, from 10am.