Green light given for Jedburgh car sales centre to resume trading

A car dealership at the northern entrance to Jedburgh has been given the green light to carry on after councillors overturned a decision to withdraw the planning permission it needs to continue trading.
The former Riverside Car Centre off the A68 in Jedburgh.The former Riverside Car Centre off the A68 in Jedburgh.
The former Riverside Car Centre off the A68 in Jedburgh.

Temporary planning approval for three years was granted in March 2017 for Riverside Car Centre to operate at a unit in Edinburgh Road, on the A68 near Jed-Forest Rugby Club’s Riverside Park ground.

That business closed recently, but the owner of the site, Jim Hewit, applied to Scottish Borders Council planners for continued consent for its use for car sales as he’s had several inquiries from prospective new occupiers.

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That application was refused by assistant planning officer Euan Calvert in May under delegated powers on the basis that landscaping of the site required as part of the original application had not been carried and that its operation as a car sales business wouldn’t create sufficient employment to justify going against land use policies.

This week, though, members of the council’s local review body overturned that decision, ruling that in the current economic climate the business generated by a car sales showroom would be better than the likely alternative of nothing.

Mr Hewit, 67, owner of the site since buying it from the council in 2003, was granted a five-year extension for its use to host a car dealership.

Kelso councillor Simon Mountford told Monday’s meeting: “The fact is that Jedburgh is having a bad time economically at the moment. Mainetti is going and other employers are pulling out of the town.

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“There is, as the applicant has pointed out, no shortage of business premises and, arguably, a car sales operation can attract people into the town.

“If they are selling cars that people want to buy, then obviously it’s a reasonable assumption that people are going to come and buy them.

“If they come into the town, they might buy other things, so I see that in itself as somewhat positive.

“I am one of those that don’t actually think that car sales are unattractive, therefore I don’t think they would detract from the appearance of the edge of the town.

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“I don’t think that it is an eyesore having a sales operation.

“We have one in Kelso which is on the edge of the town and indeed part of a major industrial estate and I’m not aware that it causes any problems.

“We have had a situation where for three years there was a car sales operation which was reasonably successful apparently.

“There don’t seem to have been any objections from neighbours or townspeople, so I don’t have a problem with seeing a return of car sales to that site, so on balance I would overturn the officer’s recommendation.”

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Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton agreed, saying: “This is a site which has had challenges and some successes as a car sales place.

“You can see the point of the applicant. He is in a chicken-and-egg situation here.

“He’s obviously had discussions with car dealerships or businesses of that ilk, but obviously without the lifting of the restrictions here, you can see why they would be cautious to invest or set up shop.

“If we can get the landscaping right, there is no reason why a car dealership or car sales would look out of place in this area, and there are similar uses in neighbouring units.”

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Chairman Tom Miers added: “It seems to me that there is a case to allow a business such as this flexibility to search for what it thinks is the right occupant for this site.

“Arguably, the economic circumstances dictate that the benefits of that would outweigh other criteria.”

A report submitted on Mr Hewit’s behalf by Galashiels-based Ferguson Planning said: “The proposal is a form of economic development that will provide employment and attract people into Jedburgh.

“We find no reason why the premises cannot continue as it has for the preceding three years.”