A “TRULY local project for local people supporting a local business” has been turned down by councillors.

Members of East Lothian Council's planning committee were split on Carol Auld’s proposals for three new homes on Elphinstone’s western edge.

Planning officers had refused a previous application for the three houses because they said it was against countryside policy which did not allow new-build housing in the countryside unless there were exceptional circumstance.

READ MORE: Bid for three houses turned down near Bellway development

However, the latest proposals were called off the scheme of delegation list to be decided by councillors by ward member Councillor Lee-Anne Menzies, who highlighted that the application site was directly opposite a major new housing development.

The entrance to the village has changed considerably over the last 12 months, with Bellway Homes currently building 90 homes to the north of the B6414.

Plans from the same developer are also being considered for a further 111 properties to the north of that site.

At a meeting on Tuesday, the council's planning committee heard about Mrs Auld’s plans to build three homes to the south of the road, opposite the new Bellway development.

Tony Thomas, representing the applicant, acknowledged that the site was not designated for housing in the Local Development Plan.

However, he argued it was “appropriate” to build the homes, which would be occupied by Mrs Auld and her family, on the site.

He said: “As the committee report confirms, there are no issues over design, access or noise.

“The single concern is that there are lines on a plan that said it was okay for Bellway to build 200 homes on one side of the road – completely changing the character of Elphinstone forever – but not okay for a local resident investing wholeheartedly in the village to build homes for her and her family on a small plot directly opposite.”

Members of the planning committee were split on the proposals – with Councillors Liz Allan, Cher Cassini, Donna Collins, Neil Gilbert and Kenny McLeod going against the officers' recommendation to turn them down.

However, Labour councillors Andy Forrest, John McMillan, Norman Hampshire and Colin Yorkston, along with Greens councillor Shona McIntosh, voted for the scheme to be turned down.

Mr Hampshire had warned colleagues that approving the plans could allow further developments in the countryside.

He said: “If we start giving up sites that are not part of the Local Development Plan, we will be in trouble as a planning authority, but members, if you make that decision, it is your choice, but it is going against years and years of difficult planning decisions that this planning committee has taken and we will just have to see what happens with this.”

Mr Hampshire, who chairs the planning committee, has the casting vote when voting ends in a tie and he backed the council officials.

Julie McLair, from the council’s planning department, outlined that the application was “defined as being within a countryside location” and said: “It is not identified as being within a residential area, nor is it defined as being within the settlement of Elphinstone.

“The Local Development Plan does not allocate the land of the site for housing development.”

Mr McLeod, who represents the village on the local authority, was among the first to go against the planning officers' recommendation.

He said: “I tossed and turned about this one and my heart is really overtaking my head here.

“It is one of those scenarios where I have known the family – everybody has known the family in Peeptoon – for a great number of years."