Tuesday June 16th 2026
Wadingburn Lane is on the edge of Lasswade, in Midlothian
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A bid to build a new house on green belt land on the edge of a Midlothian village has been narrowly defeated despite a near identical property being approved next door over two years ago.
Bernard Flanagan appealed to Midlothian Council’s Local Review Body after planning officers rejected his application for the four bedroom home on the outskirts of Lasswade.
The landowner argued that it was almost identical to the home which was granted permission on appeal by the same elected body a few years ago.
However concerns were raised by some members that the initial house has not yet been built as they threw out the appeal by five votes to four.
A meeting of the Local Review Body heard some members who had approved the previous house on the site were unhappy that a second separate application had now been put in for another house.
Review body convenor Councillor Russell Imrie told the meeting that they had taken a ‘soft approach’ to the initial application allowing it despite the fact it encroached on to the green belt.
However, he said, had the initial application been for two homes the approach might have been different.
He told the meeting: “I think we should uphold the planner’s refusal because it is enough encroachment into the green belt and I am a bit upset that in the two years plus the applicant has had permission (for the first house)nothing has started.
“I also wish it had come in as a two house application in the first place. I still think we should take a hard line on this particular application given we softened our attitude on the green belt for the first application.”
Councillor Willie McEwan, who sat on the Local Review Body which granted permission for the earlier house on the land also voiced concern that it had not been built.
He said: “I was a bit puzzled to see no work has been started on that previous application and I am a bit concerned about whether the applicant should have come forward with a two house situation there on the one planning application.”
Planning officers had recommended refusal of the application for the second house saying it did not further green belt activity on the land and would lead to a loss of ‘prime agricultural land’.
Councillor Dianne Alexander voiced concern about the loss of the surrounding countryside saying: “It is taking up a lot of green space and I am concerned about the impact on the trees and the whole environmental issue.”
However Councillor Douglas Bowen said that while it was an ‘intrusion’ into the green belt, the review body had already given permission for one house at the site suggesting the delays to the first property was to see if the second one was approved as it would be a more economical build.
He said: “Although the land is on the green belt in theory it is not ever going to be used as agriculture and unless it is built on will just sit there as a bit of scrub land with no good use whatsoever.”
Councillor Connor McManus told the meeting that he felt the design of the proposed new house, while modern, was ‘sympathetic to the surrounding area.”
He said: “I don’t necessarily mind it.”
He was backed by Councillor Colin Cassidy who added: “I think it might just finish off that little bit of ground and make it look a complete site instead of one house sitting on its own.”
Councillors Dianne Alexander, Kelly Drummond, Russell Imrie, Willie McEwan and Pauline Winchester refused the appeal which was supported by councillors Douglas Bowen, Colin Cassidy, Connor McManus and Derek Milligan.
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