Concerns over road safety have led to the rejection of a theme park appeal in East Lothian
East Lothian: The operators of a family theme park just hit a wall with their appeal to the Scottish Ministers. They wanted to move their park, but road safety worries were too big to ignore.
Last year, East Lothian councillors turned down their planning request after getting a flood of objections. The folks behind East Link Family Park claimed they were just relocating their popular spot.
But here’s the kicker: the landowner of the original park hinted he’d find a new operator, which meant there could be two similar parks. So, the council wasn’t having it.
They lodged an appeal last summer, but this week, the Scottish Government Reporter sided with the council. They even turned down the applicants’ request for expenses from the local authority.
One major worry was how the estimated 100,000 visitors would affect the rural community and its roads. The proposed access point didn’t meet safety standards, which raised eyebrows.
The applicants tried to suggest a different access point, but the Reporter said that wasn’t fair to the objectors who needed to be consulted first.
While the applicants argued that the theme park fit into the council’s local development plan, the Reporter pointed out that visitors would likely rely on cars. Public transport options were limited, and anyone taking a bus would face a long walk along a busy road without a proper path.
They mentioned that the applicants were in talks with a local bus company to set up a new stop, but the Reporter wasn’t convinced. They said any changes depended on others doing the work, which wasn’t guaranteed.
The Reporter concluded that the development’s road safety issues and reliance on cars didn’t mesh well with the area. They emphasized that road safety and sustainable transport are crucial for such projects.
East Lothian MSP Craig Hoy, who fought against the park, was thrilled with the decision. He said it was great to see the community’s concerns taken seriously.
Last year, the council’s planning committee rejected the application after receiving over 550 comments, with 465 against it. Planning officers also flagged the lack of public transport and safety worries.
Plus, there was concern about losing prime agricultural land. Councillor Donna Collins, a farmer, highlighted how losing 14.5 hectares could impact food production significantly.
However, the Reporter noted that the land loss alone wouldn’t have been enough to deny the appeal if the development had been acceptable in other ways.
So, that’s the scoop on the East Lothian theme park saga!
