Pentland Park Marine’s ambitious £22.4m housing project near Straiton has been dealt a significant blow, as Scottish ministers rejected their appeal against Midlothian Council’s initial refusal.
The company had hoped to construct a care home and housing alongside a mixed-use development on land previously designated as countryside.
The firm’s argument that the land had been unused for half a century and pointed to the council’s recent approval of an Aldi store on the site failed to sway the Scottish Government reporter.
1. The reporter’s decision was based on several factors, including:
- Sufficient housing land availability in Midlothian
- The project’s limited contribution to affordable housing (estimated at 10 units)
- Concerns about the loss of public space
Despite acknowledging that the project would make a “small, but valuable contribution to the supply”, the reporter deemed this insufficient to outweigh the concerns raised.
The decision marks the end of a two-year struggle to overturn the council’s original ruling. The reporter visited the site and considered objections from local community councils, as well as existing and proposed developments in the surrounding area.
A spokesman for the applicants said: “We believed this was a fantastic opportunity to enhance the local amenities with community-focused plans, so we are naturally disappointed in the decision to reject what we feel was an excellent opportunity for the Council.”
Pentland Park Marine had praised the economic benefits of the scheme, projecting the creation of 172 jobs during construction, 133 new direct jobs, and 33 indirect jobs upon completion.
