Thursday November 13th 2025
St Margaret's House, at Winterfield Golf Course, in Dunbar
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Plans to lease a club house in the centre of an East Lothian golf course to its members faced a single objection over the use of the community building by just one group.
Winterfield Golf Course, in Dunbar, was recently taken over by its members after they agreed a 40-year lease with East Lothian Council however the club house, which sits in the centre of the grounds was not included.
A meeting of the council’s Common Good Committee today heard that the building, known as St Margaret’s House, had been used as the club house since 1994 but a new agreement needed to be approved to link it to the course and that had required a public consultation.
Officers said they received 40 responses with just one against the lease. The objector questioned whether any other uses of the building had been investigated ahead of renting it out to the club.
And they raised concerns about the building being used by a single body such as the golf club instead of having a wider community use.
The meeting was told that it was likely the objector had not realised that the building had been rented to the club for more than 30 years already and the new lease was simply continuing the agreement.
Officers said:
“St Margaret’s House has been leased to the golf club without issue for more than 30 years. The proposal consulted on did not change the lease position of St Margaret’s House in a material way, but simply incorporated it within the proposed new lease of the full golf course and for a new period of 40 years.
“Continuation of the lease position which has been in place was considered to be the best outcome for the ongoing use and care of the asset.”
Councillors welcomed the decision to offer a new lease to the club for the building with committee chairperson John McMillan saying approving the lease was the “best way to go”.
Councillor McMillan said: “This is a very practical solution which benefits the community, tourism and golfers.”
The committee unanimously approved the 40-year lease.
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