Rejection of plans for new home near Jedburgh overturned on appeal

Neil Miller submitted an application to Scottish Borders Council planners in February for consent for a house on land north west of Ramsacre and south of Thickside House, a former farmhouse giving its name to a cluster of nearby dwellings.

That application was refused, under delegated powers, by assistant planning officer Euan Calvert under delegated powers in April, however, on the grounds that it would be outwith the existing group of three dwellings there.

Dr Miller appealed against that knockback, and at Monday’s meeting of the council’s local review body, held via video-link, his challenge was upheld.

Kelso councillor Simon Mountford said: “There is definitely a building group there and there is definitely capacity to expand.

“It all comes down to this sense of place, and I’m slightly torn on this one.

“On the one hand, the location of the site would balance up with Ramsacre and a boundary line could be established which matches that of Ramsacre. On the other hand, it is a raised site, which means it is going to be more prominent from the road.

“My feeling is that because this is a single-storey house that is being proposed, it is not going to be unduly prominent on the landscape and so, on balance, I think it would fit within the sense of place.

“Because the boundary line of the narrow line of trees between Thickside and the site is a man-made boundary, another man-made boundary south of the site would help establish the boundary of building group, so I’m in favour of the application.”

East Berwickshire councillor Jim Fullarton took a different view, though, saying: “The dilemma that we have here is the question of the sense of place.

“There is a single band of trees between the farmhouse at Thickside and the site itself.

“It’s very difficult this one because it will be clearly visible from the Oxnam road behind the background of the trees. This has to be judged on whether it fits in with the building group.

“I really have to say that I struggle to basically find a reason for this house, particularly as it is a sloping site and is on two levels.

“It is not an ideal for the house itself, I would have thought. It is a site with difficulties. I agree with the officer in this instance.”

In his report, Mr Calvert insists the application is contrary to countryside planning policy, saying: “It has not been demonstrated that there is an economic or operational need for a new dwelling house to be located at the site.

“It would not relate to an existing building group and would be located outwith both natural and man-made boundaries of the building group.”