Wednesday August 19th 2026
The gap between houses in St Andrews Street, North Berwick was described as a 'breathing space' in the town centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A bid to build a new house in a gap site described as providing ‘breathing space’ for local residents has been thrown out.
Ten letters of objection were lodged with East Lothian Council over plans to build a three bedroom house on the site on St Andrews Street, North Berwick.
A meeting of the council’s planning committee heard a previous application for the site had been rejected over concerns about the impact on the conservation area and loss of sunlight to an amenity space next to it which was used by neighbours as a communal garden.
Planning officers recommended the new application was also refused saying neighbours would face an ‘almost total’ loss of sunlight if the new house was built saying it was ‘unacceptable’.
Tony Thomas, agent for the applicant Ben Woods, said the plans would mean turning an underused vacant site into a much needed town centre home adding it was a site that “offers nothing to the streetscape other than views of large blank gable walls.
He said: “This is a proposal to deliver an attractive and sustainable home at a town centre location, in a scale and form that will enhance the immediate streetscape and conservation area.
“We are not trying to dispute the fact that the development will cause some shadow but there has to be some context and balance.”
However husband and wife objectors Philip and Marion Gardner who live next to the site and use the adjoining amenity space, warned the site itself provided breathing space within the street and the new house would affect their communal garden, which was well used.
Marion told the committee the garden was used by young children who were currently growing sunflowers and adults who placed seating in the place where most sun comes in to sit out.
She told elected members: “At the time the application first went in our neighbour who was 95 and relied on a wheelchair enjoyed being taken out to sit in the garden, more recently the young children from the family next door were planting beans.
“We enjoy sitting in the sun very much at the moment.”
Her husband Philip said he had found it ‘distressing’ that the another attempt was being made to erect what he described as a “grey building’ on the site.
He said: “This existing gap that the applicant proposes to fill provides a breathing space in the streetscape of St Andrews Street. It also provides a feature of the conservation area with its high stone wall.
The retired structural engineer said he had researched council documents which showed the site had been a garden for many years and described it as having “high amenity value” as a garden adding: “Surely it is not the council’s wish to see garden space in conservation areas concreted over.”
The application which had been recommended for refusal by planning officers was called into the committee by local ward member Councillor Liz Allan.
She told the committee that she was torn by the arguments of both sides during the debate saying: “I know we have a housing crisis particularly for local people who want to have something unique and something that is special to them and sometimes decisions are made that do not always make sense to me.”
However fellow ward Councillor Jeremy Findlay questioned whether North Berwick had a housing crisis.
He said: “I am not sure North Berwick itself has a housing crisis given the number of houses being built around it at the moment.”
He added: “As far as this site is concerned, it is an amenity space and trying to squeeze a house onto it is an overdevelopment of the site.”
And fellow committee member Councillor Colin Yorkston said: “I listened to comments that the property was going to be potentially unique and special to anyone who is going to live there but listening to the two objectors the amenity space they currently have is unique and special to them.”
Councillor John McMillan agreed saying: “For me the crunch factor was Marion Gardner’s comment as she put forward very clearly the benefits of the existing amenity space into real living words for the neighbourhood and I thank her for that.
He told her: “I thought you husband’s comments about breathing space were really important, in a town centre in that place and community that breathing space needs to be there. I know how desperate people are for housing but it has to contribute to making good homes, communities and neighbourhoods.”
The committee unanimously voted to reject the application.
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