16 hours Ago
Revised proposals for a site at Boggs Holdings, near Pencaitland, are being weighed up by East Lothian Council’s planning department. The scheme, from S A Fairgrieve Ltd, would see the open plan pods created in two groups of three. The previous proposals, which were later withdrawn, did not win favour with Boggs Community Association, which raised concerns about security, access, drainage and noise.
A spokesperson for the group confirmed that further talks would now take place with a view to forming an opinion on the new plans. He said: “There will be discussions and those discussions will have people who are for it and people who are against it. “If it is similar to the last meeting, the majority were against it but obviously we will have to have another meeting to see if anything has changed.
” A design and access statement has been included as part of the planning application. Developers claim that the pods would not be visible from the road. The document reads: “Due to their size, scale, form and character, they are deemed appropriate to their countryside setting.
“They would not appear visually prominent or intrusive in their landscape setting and would not be incompatible with the quality and character of the landscape of the area.” Parking for a vehicle would be provided alongside the pods but guests would be encouraged to bring along a bike so they can “explore the area and what it has to offer in a more sustainable way”. The document goes on to explain who the accommodation would be targeted towards.
It states: “The site will be operated as a typical (year-round) holiday let, with the pods being rented out on a per-nightly basis. “Patrons will likely be couples and small families as the chosen target markets by the site operators. “Party groups will not be permitted.
“The site will be marketed as a peaceful and relaxing country retreat, which should mean noise from guests is not a consideration, with minimal likelihood of noise and disruption to neighbouring properties and road users. “There is no intention to use the units for long-term lease/permanent residences. “The compact footprint of the pods would not be suited to this in any case.
” According to the developer, the “small-scale development” will create two part-time jobs for site cleaning and maintenance. At the same time, it is hoped it will “increase footfall for local businesses”..
