Ten new low energy homes earmarked for  Borders village

A preliminary planning request has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council for the homes and an associated access on farmland at Dreva Road in Broughton.

The site benefits from expansive views to Trahena Hill to the north east, Goseland Hill to the west and Whitslade Hill to the south.

The bid is from applicant David Evans, of DRE Properties of Port Seton in Prestonpans, who intends to live in one of the proposed homes.

A design statement submitted with the planning bid from Mr Evans’ agent, West Stirlingshire-based Paper Igloo Ltd, says: “The brief was to design a scheme of 10 new low energy dwellings, nine of which would form the main residential development and another one that would be a stand-alone dwelling with its own access, for our client.

“Our client wishes to build a high energy-saving certified Passivhaus and wants the other dwellings to lend themselves to this standard, if desired. All houses, bar one, face due south in order to maximise solar gain entering the properties to enable them to be as low energy as possible. This is a site already designated for housing by SBC.

“The scheme aims to develop the site in line with the criteria set out in the Broughton Settlement Profile, whilst creating a less dense, leafy, sympathetic settlement of dwellings that will be desirable and truly low energy”.

The proposal would require the removal of four trees from the Dreva Road boundary to facilitate a new access road, with compensatory planting earmarked to create a buffer zone.