A new heating system for sheltered housing connected to the Brunton Theatre is to be installed by East Lothian Council after agreeing to demolish the Musselburgh venue.
The Brunton Court housing complex, which is a listed building, currently receives its heating from the theatre building which has been condemned after the discovery of ageing concrete in its roof.
However a planning application lodged by the local authority with its own planners says it will need to have its own boiler in place before the building is knocked down to maintain its low hot water heating system.
The plans to put a container outside the housing to contain the new boiler and lay pipes to connect it to the heating system has been approved by planning officers who say it will be hidden from public view.
A report on the plans said: “In its position within the rear grounds of the building the proposed container with associated flue that would house the proposed boiler would not be readily visible from public views due to the high wall boundary enclosures and the positioning the building.
“As such, the proposed container would be well absorbed within its setting and would not appear as out of keeping or as an overly prominent addition to the surrounding area.
“Furthermore, by being positioned within the rear grounds of the building the proposed container would not harmfully disrupt or draw focus from the character or setting of the listed building.”
The Brunton Theatre, in Musselburgh, was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1971 and was home to the town’s annual pantomime for decades as well as staging famous productions and local theatre group performances.
But the theatre closed in 2023 after Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was found to have been used in its construction.
Some offices in the building used by East Lothian Council have remained in use with The Brunton Theatre moving to a new temporary home in Haddington Corn Exchange.
East Lothian Council approved plans to demolish the building last year and it is expected to close completely at the end of this month.
RAAC was used as a lighter and cheaper alternative to standard concrete during construction between the 1950s and 1990s in public buildings and housing across Scotland but it’s predicted lifespan of 30 years has caused safety concern.
The discovery of it in the roof tiles of The Brunton led to its closure with the council saying the cost of repairs were too high to make it viable and demolition was the only option.
A statutory consultation is expected to take place in the near future over plans for its replacement.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
