POTATOES, carrots, cabbage, leeks and sprouts will benefit from a newly constructed reservoir.

Plans to create the body of water on land near Luffness were given the go-ahead by East Lothian Council’s planning department.

The reservoir will have a holding capacity of 12,000m3.

According to documents included with John M Stevenson Ltd’s application: “The applicant wishes to develop a private reservoir to support the growth of crops at a greater efficiency.

“The reservoir would provide water for approximately 40 hectares of sandy silt loam which is used to grow potatoes, carrots, cabbage, leeks, and sprouts in a rotation with winter wheat.

“Previously, operations involved double pumping water onto the associated agricultural land, but this is proving both expensive and takes water away from where it is needed elsewhere on the farm during the summer.

“The applicant also rents approximately 50 hectares of land adjacent to Luffness Mains to the south at Ballencrieff Farm, which is cropped similarly and requires irrigation.”

Planning officials noted there were no concerns raised by members of the public.

They also described the site as “remote from public view and partly screened by trees and woodland”.

The Stevenson family have been farming at Luffness Mains, near Aberlady, since 1913.