Published: Thursday, 21st May, 2009 7:00am

Public urged to protest against plans for flats

by Editorial

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PRESTONPANS Community Council has issued a rallying call to residents to object to plans to build Scotland"s cheapest homes on the site of the former Coeval building.

Residents were left stunned when supermarket giant Lidl demolished the old Fowler"s Brewery Headquarters on High Street on April 24, ending a two-year community-led campaign to save the building and transform it into a local arts hub for the town.

Though Lidl officials claimed that the demolition was necessary for health and safety reasons, the move has prompted fresh fears in the Prestonpans community that the removal of the Coeval building will strengthen the company"s plans - which are still to be approved by planning officials - to build 48 "no-frills" private flats on the site, in conjunction with construction company Taylor Wimpey.

In response, members of Prestonpans Community Council have agreed to launch a town-wide offensive against Lidl"s planning application submitted to East Lothian Council in December 2007 - which is expected to be considered by planners in June - by urging local residents to sign up to a mass objection.

Though resigned to the fact that the Coeval building, which campaigners regarded as a historical landmark, is gone, community councillors declared at last week"s meeting - which was attended by about 30 people, including East Lothian MSP Iain Gray - that creating a housing development on the site would visually spoil the 'gateway' to Prestonpans, and ruin any opportunity to develop the area for community use in future, possibly as a marina or arts centre.

Community council member Victor Cummings said: 'I"m not against cheap or affordable housing for people but I think it"s the wrong place as it"s the gateway to Prestonpans.

'Anything that goes there, I would like to think it would have something that benefits the community.

Prestonpans artist and community councillor Tom Ewing added: 'It could be a beautiful site and now there"s some scope for doing something really incredible there.'

County MSP Iain Gray said that Lidl had treated the local community with 'contempt' when they had demolished the Coeval building without warning. He agreed that tackling the planning application was the community"s best hope of preventing the housing development.

He said: 'I think firstly that the way Lidl went about demolishing the building was an absolute disgrace.

'This is a company that has a shop in Prestonpans and want people within the town to be their customers yet they"ve treated the local community with contempt.'

He added: 'If planning permission fails the attractiveness of that site as an asset for Lidl might change.

'This all comes back to the planning application.'

It was agreed to gather as many single objections as possible from local residents and submit them to the local authority"s planning department before the application is heard.

Forms outlining an objection to the housing development, which can be filled in and signed by residents, are now available within the town at various locations, including the local library, community centre and the Prestoungrange Gothenburg pub in High Street.

All objections must be given to the community council by Monday.