£900k buy-out saves seating area
A ‘shelter from the storm’ timber seating area installed at an idyllic Borders woodland acquired by a group of dog walkers for almost £900k has been saved from the axe.
The woodland at Broughtonknowe, between Peebles and Biggar, operated for about 40 years as a commercial forest.
Amid fears it would be taken over by a commercial timber company locals got together to acquire the 140 acre site.
The £875k buy-out was achieved with support from the Scottish Land Fund, South of Scotland Enterprise and SSE Renewables.
In addition crowdfunding and private donations helped meet the funding total as a new charity was formed, Broughtonknowe Community Woodland (BCW).
As part of developments an octagonal wooden framed construction with centre pole, wooden floor, wooden bench and sloping ‘living grass’ roof was recently installed.
It was for use by walkers, community and educational groups and other members of the public to shelter from inclement weather and/or gather for activities associated with the woodland.
But it emerged that planning permission would be required for the shelter after a visit to the site by an enforcement officer from Scottish Borders Council.
Now the matter has been resolved after a part-retrospective application was rubber-stamped by SBC.
A spokesperson for the applicant said: “Work started in October 2025 in the belief that permission was not required.
“We had thought we were able to build a covered seating area with open sides within the woodland on what is in essence ‘private’ land without realising it would need planning permission.
“An enforcement officer visited regarding another (resolved) issue and has subsequently advised in response to our query that the apparent scale indicated planning permission would be needed.
"We have been working to rectify that omission.”
In his report approving the application, Ranald Dods, SBC planning officer, states: “Bench seating is provided on four sides of the octagon. The structure cannot be seen from the wider public realm and would not be detrimental to the objectives or overall integrity of the Special Landscape Area.
“Although within a woodland setting, it would not have a detrimental effect on the closest trees. Given the small scale nature of the development, the requirement for post-development ecological enhancement could be set aside in this instance.”