Friday October 30th 2026
Retirement livery is based at Congalton Gardens, outside North Berwick
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A couple who have invested thousands of pounds to provide care for retired and sick horses have won their fight to build a home next to their stables.
Carrie McDonald and her partner Greig Baynham established Congalton Garden Stables in East Lothian in 2018 and specialise in caring for ill and elderly horses.
However when they applied to build a house on the site so they can provide round the clock care and expand their business their plans were rejected by planners.
And when they appealed to the council’s Local Review Body earlier this year they narrowly lost out after members were split.
At the time the review body chairperson Councillor Norman Hampshire, who had the casting vote, said he would have been willing to support the application if the size of the garden was smaller.
A new application by the couple with a reduced garden was rejected a second time by planners but a fresh appeal this week saw it narrowly approved by councillors when the review body agreed by three votes to two to grant permission.
Planning officers had rejected the application after the council’s rural consultants said the livery business was not viable meaning there was no valid argument for the new house in the countryside setting.
The review body heard that £50,000 invested in the business by the couple was described by the consultants as ‘debt’ but they considered it a ‘gift’ and intended it would be paid back once they sold their current home in North Berwick using the money from that to cover it and build a new house at the stables.
During the appeal the review body heard again that the consultants did not consider the business viable, however their agent argued they should be praised for the investment and passion they had for the business.
He also pointed out that the couple currently face ten mile trips to the livery when required and when horses were sick needed to be there around the clock with one horse owner crediting their constant care for saving her horse when it suffered from colic, which can be fatal.
And he said living on the site would mean they could expand the business further with the potential for future local employment.
Members heard there had been no objections to the plans for the onsite home which received dozens of letters of support not only from clients but from vets and farriers.
Following an in depth discussion about the finances of the couple and the business Councillor Cher Cassini led the debate telling members she believed it should be given the chance to prosper.
Councillor Cassini said: “I think to base our decision just on income is unfair.
“It gives the message that you can only develop a business if you have already got an awful lot of money and that is totally the wrong impression.”
And Councillor Donna Collins said: “I feel sorry for the applicants today because at the last review they were told if they reduced the size of the garden the application would be looked at more favourably and here we are today tearing their accounts apart.
“It is a retirement livery which is something that is needed in East Lothian. You need people on site if you are looking after horses which can have ailments.
“The letters we have had of support from vets and farriers and so on show we need this service.”
Councillor Colin Yorkston, however, backed planners saying that after examining the accounts over the last six years and listening to the council’s experts he did not believe the livery was a ‘viable business’.
He said: “I have no doubt the livery is a labour of love and the applicants are very passionate about the service that is being delivered, there are things that have been suggested that potentially could improve things but looking at the figures just now I have come to the conclusion it is not a viable business and I will support the officers recommendation.”
The review body members approved the application by three votes to two with Councillors Collins, Cassini and Councillor Jeremy Findlay supporting it and Councillor Yorkston and Councillor Andrew Forrest opposing it.
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