On Tuesday, the Scottish Government rubber stamped this month’s decision by Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee to approve the application by Bristol-based Westerleigh, despite widespread opposition from many people in the town.

The high-level endorsement was required after the government agency Scottish Natural Heritage objected because the site was within the Eildon Hills National Scenic Area.

“It is not the Scottish ministers’ intention to intervene in this application by either issuing a direction restricting the granting of planning permission or by calling in the application for their own determination,” wrote an official from the Directorate for the Built Environment to SBC planning officer Carlos Clarke.

“Accordingly your council is hereby authorised to deal with the application in the manner it thinks fit.”

And yesterday, the formal notice of consent was forwarded to Westerleigh whose operations director Adrian Britton told us: “We are delighted ... after a search that has taken many years, we can assure local people we will construct an attractive building on a well landscaped site. It will be a facility of which everyone will be justifiably proud.”

He confirmed work would begin in the late summer of 2010 with completion in the spring of 2011.

SBC leader David Parker said: “In two years’ time, we will wonder what all the fuss was about, although I acknowledge there were genuine concerns. This demonstrates our democratic process is alive and well.”

But Tory councillor Gavin Logan, who voted against the application, said: “It is a great pity that after 30 years of talking it looks a though this much needed crematorium is going to end up in the wrong place.”

And fellow dissenter Nicholas Watson, blasted: “It is the duty of Scottish ministers to look after Scotland’s heritage. Instead, they are slowly killing the goose that lays the golden egg.”

z Rival crematorium boss hits out – page 3