Scottish Council Greenlights More Homes Despite Sewage Concerns
East Lothian council has approved plans for 103 new homes amid ongoing sewage issues
East Lothian, Scotland, Bellway, Sewage Issues, Housing Development
East Lothian: So, the council just gave the green light for more homes in Elphinstone, even though there are still some big sewage problems hanging around. Back in November, they hit pause on Bellway’s second phase of development because some homes from the first phase weren’t even hooked up to the mains sewer. Can you believe that?
Instead of a proper system, they had tankers coming in twice a week to deal with the waste. That’s not exactly ideal, right? Residents were pretty fed up with the smell and noise from those tankers, so the planning committee wanted to dig deeper before letting the next phase go ahead.
But today, they finally approved plans for 103 new homes. The developers assured everyone they’re working with the community and the council to sort things out. Plus, they promised that no new homes would be built until they get that mains sewer link sorted out.
Bellway said the first phase had some unexpected hiccups, but they’re on it. They’re even putting in a temporary pumping station while they figure out a permanent fix. At the meeting, they admitted they could’ve handled things better but are committed to making the second phase smoother.
They’ve set up a dedicated email for residents to voice their concerns, and they plan to keep everyone updated with newsletters and monthly community meetings. Sounds like they’re trying to make amends, right?
But not everyone is on board. Some locals are still really upset about the ongoing sewage collection trips. One resident, Graham Drummond, said it can be unbearable, especially on Mondays when the tankers are there all day. He’s worried the smell and noise will stick around for the summer.
Scottish Greens councillor Shona McIntosh was shocked that people were allowed to move into homes without proper sewage connections. She couldn’t support the new phase, especially since it’s almost double the homes originally planned for the village.
However, planning convenor Norman Hampshire argued that these new homes are crucial for the village school’s future, which needs more families to survive. In the end, the committee voted nine to two in favor of the new homes, with McIntosh and another councillor voting against it.