Railway return hopes lead to phone mast site near Hawick being shifted

Planning approval has been granted by Scottish Borders Council for a new mobile phone mast near Flex Farm, south of Hawick.

The application for the tower was made by EE, based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

The application was agreed under delegated powers used by Julie Hayward, the council’s lead planning officer.

She said: “Flex Farm is situated to the south of Hawick and accessed by a minor public road from the B6399 Hawick to Newcastelton road.

“The application, as originally submitted, was for a site to the east of the farm complex on the former railway embankment.

“This forms part of the safeguarded route for the possible Borders Railway extension from Tweedbank to the English border, so the site has been repositioned to the agricultural field to the east.

“The field slopes down to the B6399 to the east and up to the north. The former railway line is to the west of the site and the Wisp, a dwelling house, is beyond this on higher ground. The site is required to give coverage to the surrounding area and to link other sites into the network.

“The proposal forms part of a project to give mobile, data and emergency services coverage via mobile phones in more remote areas.”