Campaigners keep up opposition to land near Borders author’s home being earmarked for housing

Campaigners are keeping up their opposition to land near Abbotsford being earmarked for prospective future housing developments.
Netherbarns, next to Abbotsford, near Tweedbank.Netherbarns, next to Abbotsford, near Tweedbank.
Netherbarns, next to Abbotsford, near Tweedbank.

Campaign group Save Scott’s Countryside has issued a plea to councillors to reject suggestions that a site at Netherbarns, opposite novelist Walter Scott’s former home near Tweedbank, be designated as suitable to accommodate a new residential estate.

That plea was prompted by fears that Scottish Borders Council’s latest local development plan, pencilled in to be discussed at a full meeting of the authority last Thursday, would include Netherbarns in its list of potential future housing plots.

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That meeting was called off – except in limited form to approve use of emergency powers by officers and executive members – and it is now uncertain when the current draft plan will be voted on, however.

Group chairman Charles Humphries said: “The central Tweed Valley is under too much pressure already, with the very large Lowood development going ahead, and we fear planners have not given up their efforts to get Netherbarns added to the mix.

“Abbotsford is a highly landscape-oriented set piece, with house, grounds and surrounding landscape all designed by Scott himself.

“Netherbarns is directly across the Tweed, smack in the face of Abbotsford.

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“To pretend that a suburban development can be adequately screened is nonsense.

“Even the developer has said that proposed planting would take years to be effective, and then only in the summer, while the existing mature tree screen is deteriorating steadily.”

This is not the first time in recent years that Netherbarns has been in the frame to host new homes.

In 2008, Scottish Government ministers ruled “that there would be an increased visual impact on Abbotsford as a consequence of any urban development of Netherbarns”.

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A government reporter also ruled against a proposed devlopment of 45 houses in 2014, saying: “It appears to me that cultural and landscape considerations combine to provide an asset which should remain free of the impact of the suggested allocation and any subsequent development of Netherbarns.”

Those knockbacks failed to deter council officers preparing the new local plan last year from again suggesting that Netherbarns be earmarked as suitable to host up to 45 homes.

Mr Humphries added: “What is it about no that planners don’t understand, and what’s the point of consultation?

“It’s the same site, same number of houses, a deteriorating tree screen and a tourist attraction of international importance which arguably needs protecting more than ever. What on earth is going on?

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“We trust councillors will have the good sense to boot this one out.

“They should also be investigating the planning department’s persistent promotion of the site at odds with all the planning policies designed to protect places like Abbotsford.”

A council spokesperson said:“It is not uncommon for sites previously rejected for inclusion within a local development plan to be resubmitted.

“Obviously in order to be considered again, proposals must be amended in order to address previous reasons for their omission, otherwise they would naturally be excluded again.

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“When such submissions are made, it is absolutely critical that any such amended plans are fully scrutinised, understood, related to previous refused submissions and viewed in detail on site, including from Abbotsford.”