proposed local development plan 2016 Foreword East Lothian is a very attractive place to live, work, do business, recreate Whilst there are elements we must include in our new Local Development and visit. The area has attractive countryside and coast and a vast amount Plan, as required by the Scottish Government, there are also important of cultural and natural heritage as well as settlements of different sizes aims we have for East Lothian, such as growing our local economy, and character. Yet East Lothian is facing great change in its population, providing more jobs and homes and addressing infrastructure challenges economy and way of life, which will affect all of us who live here and the and inequality. towns and villages we live in. The Council’s aims, objectives and outcomes for East Lothian are set out It is vitally important that we conserve East Lothian’s special qualities for in the Council Plan and its Single Outcome Agreement as well as in its future generations. But at the same time it is also important to embrace other plans, policies and strategies. This Local Development Plan provides change and to provide appropriate opportunities to help grow and a complementary land use strategy to help us achieve our ambitions for diversify East Lothian’s economy and to create more jobs in the area. the future of the area. Significant population growth is expected to continue in East Lothian and we need to help ensure that the Scottish Government’s requirement to provide sufficient land for new homes can be met whilst delivering more affordable homes. We also need to maintain high quality services and infrastructure, taking into account the needs of our growing communities. This Local Development Plan sets out the Council’s planning strategy and policies to help stimulate, guide and manage future development within East Lothian. It has to be reviewed at least every five years to update the Council’s planning strategy and policies, and to identify any appropriate additional land for new development. Councillor Norman Hampshire Spokesperson for Environment CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 A SPATIAL STRATEGY FOR EAST LOTHIAN ....................................................................................................................... 11 GROWING OUR ECONOMY & COMMUNITIES ................................................................................................................. 57 INFRASTRUCTURE & RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................... 88 DIVERSE COUNTRYSIDE & COASTAL AREAS ................................................................................................................... 118 OUR NATURAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE ......................................................................................................................... 125 DESIGN ......................................................................................................................................................................... 137 DELIVERY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 142 i INTRODUCTION Format of this Local Development Plan The Development Plan 1.5 The LDP comprises a Written Statement and a Proposals Map which are to be read together. The Written Statement explains the spatial strategy and sets out detailed policies and proposals. Broadly, the spatial strategy explains the development strategy for the 1.1 Planning authorities are required to prepare a Development Plan to set out a planning I area, including where development is planned, and the policies explain the Council’s strategy and policies to guide the future development of their area. The Development Plan N approach to particular types of development in particular locations, and how development explains where new developments such as housing, business and retail are likely to be T should be designed and perform once complete. The proposals identify sites where supported and where certain types of development should not occur. It provides a development or land use change is proposed, or where land is safeguarded so as not to R framework against which development proposals can be prepared and assessed. prejudice a certain type of development occurring or an existing use continuing, or to O D ensure an area can be considered as a potential future development location. East Lothian’s Development Plan U 1.6 The Written Statement is presented in topic chapters. It sets out East Lothian’s principal C 1.2 The Development Plan for East Lothian has two components: the first part is the high level physical, social and economic characteristics, and the Plan’s vision, aims and objectives. T Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for Edinburgh and South East Scotland, which is 1 The spatial strategy for East Lothian and for each of its cluster areas is then described and I prepared by SESplan and approved by Scottish Ministers; the second part is this Local illustrated, including the main development proposals. Subsequent chapters set out the Development Plan (LDP), which has been prepared by East Lothian Council. By law, this O Plan’s policies and proposals in relation to growing our communities, infrastructure and LDP must conform to SESplan’s first Strategic Development Plan (June 2013). N resources, diverse countryside and coast, natural and cultural heritage, and on design and delivery. Where statutory Supplementary Guidance is intended to form part of the LDP this 1.3 The SDP sets out the broad strategic planning vision, strategy and policies as well as is clearly indicated in the Written Statement as well as the scope of policy material to be development requirements for the city region, including East Lothian. It was approved with th included in the guidance. Some policies or proposals are relevant to the whole plan area modifications by Scottish Ministers on the 27 June 2013. This approval was subject to the irrespective of the type or location of proposals. preparation of Supplementary Guidance on Housing Land, which was adopted as part of th the SDP on 28 October 2014. The SDP and its Supplementary Guidance set out specific 1.7 The Proposals Map illustrates and is the principal reference point for where site specific or land requirements to be planned for by LDPs for the periods up to 2019 and 2024. The SDP area based policies or proposals will apply. It is divided in to a series of Inset Maps to allow is also accompanied by an Action Programme which identifies actions associated with the the plan’s policies and proposals to be examined clearly at an appropriate map scale. delivery of the SDP. Some of these actions are specific to East Lothian while others have cross local authority boundary implications including for East Lothian. 1.8 All applications for planning permission will be determined in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. It will be for the 1.4 The LDP sets out where and how the SDPs development requirements can be delivered in decision maker to establish which Development Plan policies or proposals are relevant, East Lothian. It is a site specific plan that contains proposals that show where the Council and the weight to be attached to them, in the specific circumstances of each case. wants to stimulate development as well as the policies it will use to manage development in East Lothian. The LDP is supported by topic based statutory Supplementary Guidance or Review of the Development Plan non-statutory Supplementary Planning Guidance where policy material would be too detailed for inclusion in the LDP itself. The LDP Action Programme sets out actions that will be required to deliver the LDP, including infrastructure provision, and who will be 1.9 The Development Plan should be reviewed at least every five years. This is to update the responsible for them and the anticipated timescale. It will be reviewed at least biennially planning policy and strategy approach and to identify any additional and appropriate land as the LDP is operative to monitor progress on delivery and to identify any further actions. for development. The first stage in this will be a review of SESplan’s Strategic Development Plan (June 2013), which will be followed by a review of this Local Development Plan. The stages of and timescales for these review processes are set out in the respective 1 Strategic Development Planning Authority for Edinburgh and South East Scotland (SESplan) Development Plan Schemes for these plans, which are updated at least annually. 1 East Lothian: The Place 1.12 Aberlady, Gullane and Belhaven Bays, together with the beaches along the coastal strip, are attractive landscape features that provide important amenity as well as visitor and leisure tourism attractions. They are also significant habitat resources for protected Spatial Context species and biodiversity of national and international significance. The Firth of Forth shoreline and islands are Special Protection Areas (SPAs), and the inland area to the south 1.10 East Lothian is part of the Edinburgh city region. It is located to the east of Edinburgh’s is an important feeding ground for protected species. East Lothian has many Sites of suburban edge. East Lothian