Melrose housing plans scaled back by almost half

Land off Dingleton Road in Melrose earmarked for housing, this being the view from the south-west corner of the site looking north east.

A landmark building in Melrose will no longer stand in splendid isolation if scaled-down plans for a housing development are given the thumbs-up.

The 26 proposed properties would be built off Dingleton Road on a site known as the Croft due to the croft-type building at its centre.

That building currently operates as Cherrytrees Children’s Nursery, and no works are planned to it as part of the newly-submitted planning application.

The site is owned by Melrose’s JS Crawford Farming Partnership, and the proposals are being put forward by Rural Renaissance, also based in the town.

Members of the public were invited to give their views on the proposed development at an open event staged at Melrose Rugby Club earlier this year.

Initial plans for the land were for 46 homes, with a mixture of two and three bedroom semi-detached houses and three, four and five bedroom detached houses.

Melrose Community Council was also involved in the consultation process, and members will have a say in naming the development if planning approval is granted.

The main issue raised at the January consultation session was concern over the number of properties proposed.

Fears were also expressed over access, traffic volumes and the potential for parking in Dingleton Road impeding the flow of traffic there.

In response to those reservations, the developer has reduced the number of properties it hopes to build on the 6.3-acre site, allocated for housing in the council’s development plan, by almost half.

In a report from Rural Renaissance presented to the council, says: “A strong vision and desire create a viable new development which delivers a strong, robust proposal which will provide vibrant and sustainable homes in a pleasant and safe environment for future residents.

“The proposals respond to the anticipated needs and aspirations of the future residents and provide a design solution of high quality and adaptability within the context of its unique setting.”