Homeowner's plans to build sunroom on top of historic cottage in North Berwick branded 'a sin'

A North Berwick homeowner’s plans to build a sunroom on top of a historic cottage were described as a “sin”, as councillors rejected her appeal.

Lesley Kay wanted to expand with the first floor room to the top of a flat roof extension already added to the house on the town’s Forth Street.

But the proposal received 30 objections and East Lothian Council planners ruled the addition would be “unacceptable and unsympathetic”.

At a meeting of the council’s Local Review Body this week, elected members backed the decision to refuse the application despite Ms Kay providing photographs of similar additions to buildings nearby.

The pictures include similar glass extensions on top of flat roofed houses and at North Berwick Golf Clubhouse which she argued were similar to what she proposed.

And she said the proposed sunroom would enhance the look of the cottage, which sits between much larger homes.

However members of the review body were critical of the proposals which they described as too big for the house.

Councillor Donna Collins said: “It is the last of the houses there to have that character of the fishing village of North Berwick and to obscure that with what they are proposing would, I think, be a sin.

“It is not complementary to the house that is there because it goes way back to the 1700s/1800s. It is unsympathetic to the house and I think it is harmful to the character of the area.”

Councillor Kenny McLeod added: “It is a stunning cottage. I take every case individually and I was involved in some of the decisions on other buildings which are in the photographs. On this occasion I have to support the officers’ recommendation of refusal on the basis of size. It would be interesting to see if they came back with something smaller.”

Councillor Liz Allen said that while she supported progression and did not believe things should stay the same the cottage was “very special”, adding: “It is a reminder of the history of North Berwick and that has to be taken into account with any modifications or changes.”

Chairing the review body Councillor Norman Hampshire said: “It is a beautiful cottage. I can understand why the owner would want to have a viewing point out to sea and I have supported other dormers on roofs, but on this one the scale and the size was just too much onto that small building. It overburdens that small cottage.”

The Local Review Body rejected the appeal unanimously.