Scottish Borders Council, which contributed £1.5 million towards the restoration of Abbotsford, novelist Sir Walter Scott's home by the banks of the Tweed, has come under fire from the mansion's trustees over the inclusion of a neighbouring housing site in planning proposals.
Abbotsford Trust chairman James Holloway, in a 10-page submission to SBC's planners, warns the development of suburban-style new homes at Netherbarns, a 20-acre site on the outskirts of Galashiels, will "crucially weaken future plans of Abbotsford to be recognised as a World Heritage site".
Netherbarns was listed as an Alternative Option for housing in the council's recently published Main Issues Report [MIR] setting out proposals for inclusion in the region's second Local Development Plan (LDP). This despite rejection of a scheme for 79 houses being rejected previously by Scottish Government Ministers because of the potential impact on Abbotsford, and an objection from Historic Scotland. A reduced density of housing failed to convince an Inquiry Reporter in 2014.
The MIR consultation exercise attracted 330 responses which are now publicly available on SBC's website. Names and personal details have been redacted from the paperwork in many cases. At least a dozen of the submissions attack the planned resurrection of potential development at Netherbarns which is owned by a Kelso building company.
Among the many responses is a 124-page document from planning consultants Lichfields representing builders M & J Ballantyne. They claim additional tree planting and careful positioning of the houses would remove any visual threat to the outstanding landscapes around Scott's former residence.
According to Lichfields: "The site has received almost continuous support from officers and members of Scottish Borders Council who collectively recognise its planning merit and the contribution that it could make to the delivery of family homes in Galashiels."
And the consultants claim: "Assuming between 12 – 24 months to achieve the necessary consents including planning permission, roads construction consent and building warrants, the site could be delivered in full within the first five years of the plan period.
"This statement demonstrates that the site should not be considered as an ‘alternative’ option but ‘preferred’ due to the fact the site is immediately effective and due to lack of any ‘preferred’ housing sites in Galashiels."
But in his response to the MIR Mr Holloway states: "The trust objects to the development of the Netherbarns site because the associated light, sound and visual intrusions will impact adversely on its [Abbotsford] heritage assets, historic setting and the cultural landscape of Sir Walter Scott and the Scottish Borders.
"The Trust strongly opposes the assumption that screening by trees will reduce the impact of the Netherbarns site. It believes that an adequate level of tree screening...one that protects the setting of Abbotsford from any new development....is unachievable on this site.
"The adverse impacts of the Netherbarns development will change the way nature is experienced at Abbotsford and will change's Scott's legacy for ever".
Mr Holloway's submission goes on to list six 'adverse effects' should Netherbarns be built on. One of them says: "Undermine the previous significant public investment in Abbotsford (£1.5 million by SBC itself) as a tourist destination". Abbotsford is claimed to be the Borders' most outstanding and internationally important tourist attraction.
In a hard hitting comment, the Trust's paper warns: "It would be ironic if, as we approach Scott's 250th anniversary and with the eyes of the nation upon us, diggers were to greet visitors across the Tweed.
"We hope we can forestall the site's inclusion in future LDPs by putting forward our case now and forever, on the detrimental impact of a development at Netherbarns on Abbotsford, the jewel in the crown of the Central Borders".
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