Plans for 75 homes in Duns now a done deal

How the new houses planned in Duns would look, though a design rethink is afoot.

Members of Scottish Borders Council’s planning and building standards committee this week approved the one and two-bedroom cottage flats and two and three-bedroom bungalows, in addition to terraced and semi-detached homes on land north west of Springfield Avenue.

The successful applicant is Elgin-based Springfield Properties.

There was previous planning consent for 62 houses on the site, and the road and drainage infrastructure for those plans is already in place.

In approving the application, the committee did call for the developer to create more diversity of housing types to prevent the design of the development from being “monotonous”.

That was a view expressed in a council report saying: “Variation in the external finish and repositioning or micro-siting of some of the houses along the northernmost street is desirable.

“This will add an element of variation along this street frontage.”

Springfield Properties managing director Tom Leggeat said: “Our plans for the site just off Springfield Avenue in Duns will regenerate a neglected pocket of land that has been abandoned since 2007.

“It will bring 75 new, highly-efficient and cost-effective homes to the area.

“This is a great opportunity for us to introduce much-needed housing in a new location and build relationships with new housing associations, councils and communities.”

Since the Scottish Government pledged to increase the supply of affordable housing by 67% by 2021 as part of a £3bn investment, Springfield Properties have focused heavily on affordable housing to help reach that target.

Mr Leggeat added: “Affordable housing has been a focus across Scotland for many years now. We are taking this opportunity to strengthen the affordable housing sector of Springfield and help achieve this goal.”

“The need for affordable homes is Scotland-wide – this includes the Borders – so we hope this application is the first of many.”