Planning Committee grants permission for care village at Inveresk

The care village comprises 59 care bedrooms and 171 residential accommodation and care units (47 care suites and 124 care apartments) along with communal facilities. Public consultation had taken place in 2018 via a public event in Musselburgh through Proposal of Application Notice procedures.

At least one resident of each of the residential accommodation and care units would require to be aged 65 or over and in need of support with personal care, physical and social needs or medical care. They would have to enter into a care contract prior to occupation. The lease or sale of the apartments would be prohibited for anyone not meeting the criteria.

Within the care village is proposed; a plaza, bowling green, croquet lawn, wildflower meadow, formal and informal gardens, bike and bin stores. It would include car parking for staff and residents. The main building on the site would also include a restaurant, bar and cafe areas, private dining area, a shop, cinema, library, craft room, studio space, hairdresser & beautician with treatment rooms, meeting/training room, swimming pool with jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and changing facilities and a gym and fitness studio. The facilities would also be available for community groups to use and it is estimated the development would create more than 130 jobs.

Committee members voted unanimously in favour of planners’ recommendation to approve the application.

The committee also voted eight to three to grant permission for a new house in the garden ground of Garden Cottage, Edinburgh Road, Gifford.

The application had been called off the scheme of delegation by Councillor Shamin Akhtar and Councillor Craig Hoy because of a number of community concerns about the development.

Following a debate, committee members voted in favour of the planners’ recommendation to approve the detached one and a half storey house.

 The relevant application numbers are Inveresk; 20/00108/PM and Gifford 20/00629/P.