East Lothian dog park given go ahead despite concerns of use as parking lot

A countryside dog park in East Lothian has been given the go ahead, despite local concerns it would become an overspill car park for a nearby café.

Castleton Farm, near Tantallon Castle, applied for planning permission to create a secure outdoor facility where people could walk their dogs safely off-lead.

However, initial plans to provide a car park with 12 spaces sparked alarm bells with North Berwick Community Council who said it would have a negative impact on the views.

Other objectors feared it would be used by visitors to the farm café on the other side of the coastal road.

East Lothian planners said the application had been adjusted to provide a car park for just six cars.

And they ruled that despite being on prime agricultural land, it would be supporting the family farm to diversify.

They said: “The provision of an enclosed, secure dog walking facility requires an area of land large enough to accommodate that use and such an area of land is unlikely to be found within an existing settlement.

“It is therefore a use that has an operational requirement for a countryside location, furthermore the proposed facility would supporting an existing farming business allowing it to diversity to allow for a leisure-related use.”

The planned facility would be fenced in using deer fencing and have a shelter in the open ground.

Planning officers said that the applicants had said it would be available for people to book in advance for exclusive use and would benefit dog owners with puppies or sensitive or nervous dogs or dogs with poor recall who could not be let off-lead giving them space to run free.

Seven objections were lodged with concerns it would be “out of place” and “highly visually intrusive”.

The application was approved by planners.