In 2018, planning permission in principle was granted for a development of 250 homes east of Cowpits Road.

Members of the council’s planning committee this week agreed to grant full planning permission after considering the details of the development, which includes 63 units for affordable housing.

Councillors then unanimously agreed with officers’ recommendation to refuse planning permission for a care village at Castleton Farm. The applicant proposed a 152-unit development, a mixture of flats and bungalows plus a community hub, specifically for those aged over 55 with a pre-existing health condition that meant they required extra care and living assistance.

However, members heard that there had been 506 objections lodged to the proposal and agreed with the officers’ assessment that the development would be incongruous and intrusive in its setting and would be detrimental to the objectives of the North Berwick Countryside Around Town area.

An application for a McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant in the car park at the Musselburgh Tesco store was also refused. Officers had recommended granting of the application but members took the view that the proposed development would result in an increase in congestion on the road network, an unacceptable impact on air quality, unacceptable noise levels, a loss of car parking and a potential increase in litter. 157 objections had been lodged from local groups and members of the public.