Scottish Borders Council refused planning approval
An appeal against refusal of plans for a ‘coffee stop’ on the Scotland/England border at Carter Bar hit the buffers today.
Jedburgh-based Wooplaw Farm Limited was refused planning approval by Scottish Borders Council to site a container coffee stop on the west lay-by of the A68, including formation of hard-standing, picnic tables, toilets and bins.
It was deemed the proposal would be detrimental to traders in Jedburgh and have an adverse impact on the “vitality and viability” of the town centre.
When members of SBC’s Local Review Body met on Monday, March 16, they upheld the original refusal.
East Berwickshire Independent councillor Aileen Orr said: “It is in such an iconic place and my concerns were always that it would have a negative effect on the businesses within Jedburgh.
“There could have been an opportunity for a mobile unit but certainly not a fixed unit.”
Tweeddale West’s SNP councillor Viv Thomson said: “We can’t risk the businesses in Jedburgh losing trade. We really need to encourage people to get off the roads and into our towns. I’m not convinced that the economic case is there for this yet.”
Conservative Tweeddale West councillor Eric Small spoke in favour of the application, stating that the coffee stop would cater for a “different clientèle”, adding: “You’re going to have tradespeople, lorry drivers who would love to get a coffee on route.”
Tweeddale East’s SNP councillor Marshall Douglas responded, saying: “There is a lay-by there already and people who are travelling daily would probably have their own coffees with them anyway but you are actually detracting from the town centre in Jedburgh as an attraction for people to go those extra few miles for a coffee or meal.”
A report with the appeal stated: “The applicant believes that this is a simple, modest, and appropriately scaled development with economic potential, and benefit, to both the existing farming business and the community through the support of tourism policy objectives.”