Friday August 14th 2026
The Museum of Flight plans to expand have been put forward for consideration for East Lothian Council's next Local Development Plan
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Plans to expand the Museum of Flight in East Lothian have been included in a list of possible future developments six years after they were rejected over the need to chop down 300 trees.
A shortlist of projects put forward by landowners and developers to be included in East Lothian Council’s new Local Development Plan includes an extension to the museum, based at East Fortune, but warns it still involves the permanent loss of ancient woodlands.
Planning officers have not ruled the project out despite the loss of habitat involved at this early stage saying it meets their spatial strategy of expanding a local business and tourist asset.
However their assessment of the plan states it has ” the potential to be (a) preferred site if environmental issues can be overcome”.
They add: “The museum proposal at this location would result in the permanent loss of Ancient Woodland and loss of habitat.”
Six years ago National Museums of Scotland put forward a £15million plan for a new visitors centre and the East Fortune site with a new hangar to store three of its historic aircraft which required to be brought indoors alongside Concorde.
The plans for the ‘Ready for Take Off’ project would have seen the new centre created under a giant hangar which would house the Viscount, BAC 1-11 and Comet which are too big for the existing hangars.
But they required to chop down 300 trees to cut a path from their current site to the new hangar saying it was the only way to move the aircraft.
A petition opposing the loss of the trees was signed by 6,500 people and protests were held outside East Lothian Council’s chambers as councillors met to discuss the plans which were rejected because of the loss of trees.
The Woodland Trust also lodged an objection saying the trees which were facing destruction were next to an ancient woodland known as Big Wood, and their loss would affect the wood itself.
They said at the time: “When land use is changed to a more intensive use such as in this situation, plant and animal populations are exposed to environmental impact from outside of the woodland.
“These detrimental edge effects can result in changes to the environmental conditions within the woodland and consequently affect the wood’s stable condition.
“Detrimental edge effects have been shown to penetrate woodland, causing changes in ancient woodland characteristics that extend up to three times the canopy height in from the forest edges.”
Museum bosses had offered to plant 800 new trees on the site to counteract the loss but East Lothian Council rejected the plans saying they breached its climate change strategy and an appeal to Scottish Ministers was also thrown out after their Reporter ruled the loss of the trees was ‘too important’ to allow it.
The new proposal is one of dozens under consideration as the council draws up its LDP for 2028 – 2038 which sets out plans for land from housing developments to protected woodlands, leisure areas, employment sites and allotments.
The draft plan is due to go before councillors towards the end of the year before going to public consultation next year.
The Museum of Flight has been asked for comment.
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