A BID to build a block of flats on a new development which has already reached capacity has been approved after planners said it would be a "landmark building" for the estate.

Cruden Homes applied to build the three-storey block of nine flats at the edge of the Longniddry South development which has seen 450 new homes built on the edge of the East Lothian village.

And despite planners admitting that the site had already reached the approved number of housing units, they said that the flats would not have enough of an impact on the surrounding infrastructure to refuse them.

Instead, they said that the new building would fit into the surrounding estate, while acknowledging that another nine homes could also be added, with another application outstanding.

Longniddry Community Council had expressed its "dismay" at the addition of the flat building to the development.

'Not out of keeping'

In an objection to the proposal, they gave a string of reasons why it should not be given the go-ahead, many surrounding areas of infrastructure work which they alleged had not been carried out or were causing concern, including flood risks and dropped kerbs.

And a report by planning officers said that the community council had expressed “dismay at the number of three-storey flatted buildings featured in the proposals, which would not be in keeping with the area in general".

However, planners granted permission for the new flats, which will be across the road from a similar block already given the go-ahead.

Planners said: “In its location and seen as it would be alongside another flatted building of similar height, massing and form, the proposed three-storey flatted building would not be out of keeping with the heights of the buildings already approved.

“The proposed flatted building would be a landmark building at a corner location of the housing development. It would sit comfortably alongside the other houses and flatted buildings of this part of the Longniddry South housing development.”