Fighting the destruction of
Musselburgh Links

A Statement from HOOL

HOOL are delighted that the Reporter to the Public Inquiry has recommended that the Floodlight All Weather Track proposals at Musselburgh Racecourse should not be given Planning Approval and that this recommendation has been upheld by the Minister.

This must be considered a victory for democracy as we believe that the vast majority of people in Musselburgh were opposed to the proposals.

We recognise that the management of Musselburgh Racecourse have done a first class job in the development and improvement of the Racecourse. (The previous Racecourse Board are on record as saying that Musselburgh was 'the best small racecourse in the country'.)

There is no reason why the Racecourse and the rest of the community should not continue to co-exist provided that a balance is maintained over the various uses of the Links which remain Common Good Land. We wish the Racecourse well in the future and we look forward to renewing the 150-year-old excellent relations between the Racecourse management and the community of Musselburgh.

HOOL would like to thank the very many people and groups who supported us during the campaign.  In particular, we would like to thank John Caldwell and the Community Council for coordinating and conducting the opposition at the Public Inquiry. Members of HOOL were proud to be included in the team and to be a part of what has proved to be an effective opposition.

 Vandalism beyond understanding

In 2006, Musselburgh Racecourse Company Limited (formally M.J.R.C) was given planning consent to develop Musselburgh Racecourse by building a floodlit all weather track on the oldest Golf Course in the world.

The development included

• Installing a new turf track layout
• Installing a new floodlit, all weather track
• Realigning Old Course tees, greens and bunkers
• Building a new stable yard and accommodation complex
• Building new access roads, car and horse box parking

The impact of the proposed development included the following but was not limited to these: increased traffic..., increased noise..., poorer air quality..., restrictions in access to the Links and the nearby Lagoons..., tree removal..., a negative affect on the bird population within the protected areas abutting the race course..., light pollution upon the local highway network, residential properties and, in particular, upon the adjacent nature conservation sites..., significant adjustments to the Musselburgh Old Golf Course..., loss of trees and habitat... and a negative impact on the visual setting of the racecourse, golf course and nearby conservation area. (See more about what was proposed.)

Hands Off Our Links, a local campaign group fought the development bringing it to the attention of local people and politicians and gaining support locally, nationally and internationally.

HOOL then threw its weight behind the Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council who fought the development at a Public Inquiry.

The racecourse is owned by East Lothian Council but operated by Musselburgh Racecourse Company Limited. However, this was the same council that had considered the application. A conflict of interest existed - the council’s decision to award a £9m loan to support the development in advance of the planning consent seemed proof of this.

See what the floodlights would have looked like here.

 The Historic Links of Musselburgh

Musselburgh Links lies to the east of the Scottish town of Musselburgh which itself lies to the east of Edinburgh. (View map or view a photograph.) The Links is common land and was granted to the people of Musselburgh from time immemorial for recreation and leisure purposes. It is land on which for years Musselburgh people grazed their goats and geese. Land on which womenfolk would dry their washing and it was land where they would play football, practice archery, play the ancient game of golf and race horses.

Regarded as one of the birth places of Golf. This unpretentious wisp of land has played a fundamental role in the growth, the expansion and the world-wide projection of the Royal and Ancient game of golf.

 HOOL

HOOL launched itself on 7th January 2005 when over 100 people— Musselburgh residents, golfers, members of the Old Musselburgh Club and the Musselburgh Conservation Society - met to express their opposition to a planning application by Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee to expand Musselburgh Racecourse by building a floodlit all weather track.

HOOL has no objection to racing per se. Its main objective is to ensure that the assets and facilities of the area are for the recreation of the maximum number of people in the local area and not for the interests of the betting industry nor any others whose motivation is predominantly financial.

HOOL would agree to a sensitive proposal for the development of the racecourse through proper consultation with local people.

Were you a winner or a loser from the
proposed racecourse developments? Check here.