Council's Lowood venture does not stack up - claim

EXCLUSIVE REPORT by DOUG COLLIE

A detailed examination of Scottish Borders Council's £203 million Tweedbank/Lowood Masterplan proposals by an expert team found the project was commercially non viable, represented over-development of the site and could create environmental and pollution threats for the River Tweed corridor.

The disturbing findings from the assessment were handed to the local authority in March last year -  before councillors finalised the deal to purchase the 109-acre Lowood Estate for £11 million (including fees and interest charges) to facilitate their Masterplan.

The 68-page document prepared by Edinburgh-based consultants Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) was commissioned by Middlemede Properties Ltd. [MPL], owners of the top quality mile-long Upper Pavilion Tweed salmon fishing beat adjoining Lowood/Tweedbank. The Middlemede company is run by the Westbrook family. The fishery is not operated as a business, but sits in one of the most tranquil and attractive stretches of the river.

It is not known whether Borders councillors were shown the report submitted on behalf of Middlemede or if the council simply chose to ignore the document's damning findings.

JLL say in the report that their clients were not consulted when SBC planners were preparing so-called Supplementary Guidance (SG) on the allocation of new housing sites for the Borders. Yet the planned construction of housing on land at Lowood represented over 35% of the Borders housing shortfall of 916 units.

Not Just Sheep & Rugby is in possession of a copy of JLL's response report to the Masterplan and will publish articles based on its contents. Its conclusions and recommendations should certainly have provided food for thought for the local authority's elected members.

For example an outline development appraisal of the residential components (300-350 new houses) of the Lowood site concludes: "There would be insufficient revenue to generate either a developer's profit or a positive land value. The Tweedbank Masterplan as currently proposed is therefore unviable and undeliverable".

A representative of JLL said: "The emphasis in the Masterplan of Lowood's proximity to Tweedbank railway station is understandable. But this appears to have blinded the council to the considerable additional costs and public spending on infrastructure which will be required to develop the site.

"Our clients are not against any development taking place on Lowood. But we believe say 40-50 higher value houses would make much more economic and environmental sense. Middlemede would not wish to see a costly White Elephant by the banks of the Tweed and it seems clear from our review that SBC should be looking at alternative housing land which would be less costly to develop".

The recommendations contained in the report were frank and hard-hitting. They include the following:

"Our client is seriously concerned with the level of development that is proposed and from the environmental and technical review that MPL’s consultants have undertaken, it is quite clear that what is proposed is over-development of the site: as such the various environmental guidance principles and parameters set in the SG itself cannot be attained. Indeed, we consider that the level of development and infrastructure proposed would seriously harm the environment and the River Tweed interests from a physical and amenity perspective.

"Moreover, a fundamental failing we consider, is that there has been no commercial or development appraisal input to the preparation of the Masterplan to ensure viability and this is most surprising given an outcome of a deliverable and a viable masterplan was a key specification of the Brief. This brings into serious question whether or not the site is effective in line with Scottish Government guidance and whether it can be delivered within the necessary time period. Our view is that the site cannot be delivered on the current basis of the proposed Masterplan.

"The Council has an opportunity now to address this matter by reconsidering the scale and scope of development to ensure that what is proposed properly respects the environmental parameters of the site and its proximity to sensitive environmental designations and is of a scale and nature that is viable and deliverable.

"It would seem that a considerable over-emphasis has been put on place-making and idealistic urban design considerations and proximity to Tweedbank railhead, that is not underpinned by commercial reality or viability considerations. It would be most unfortunate if the SBC Development Brief or Framework is prepared on the basis of the current Masterplan as this would simply perpetuate this fundamental failing."