Wednesday March 25th 2026
Liberty Hall land, in East Lothian, is being proposed for holiday let homes
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A developer refused permission to build houses on land in the East Lothian countryside has applied to put holiday let homes on it instead.
Applicant Mark Fielding says he was told by planning officers he was more likely to get the holiday lets approved than residential units on the land at Liberty Hall, near Gladsmuir, after several failed attempts to build on the land over decades.
However despite the advice, planners have recommended the proposals for two three bedroom semi detached homes on the land are refused after objectors said they would, when occupied, more than double the population within half a mile of the rural community.
And they warned that if the holiday let business failed the home owners could then apply for a change of use to residential, which was ‘unjustifiable’ in the rural setting.
Councillor John McMillan, local ward member and economic spokesperson, has now called the application in to be heard by the local authority’s planning committee before a final decision is made saying he believed elected members should “explore the tourism and economic development benefit” of the proposals.
A report by planners said they received a total of eight objections to the holiday let plans.
Representatives for the applicants said the site was historically home to a farm workers cottage and the new development will fit in with the surrounding existing homes.
And they said that following discussions with planners they understood the holiday let model was more fitting with the current policies.
They said: “The proposal has been developed from the site meeting held on the 25 March 2025 with the client and planning to explore the development potential of the site.
“It was confirmed that under the current planning framework a residential development would not be supported however development based on Tourism via holiday letting would be a option more likely to be successful.”
Planners are recommending councillors to refuse permission for the houses, which will have their own gardens and parking spaces saying they should be considered new homes in the countryside which “do not meet any of the criteria for new build housing within the countryside”.
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