Borders planners approve first phase of Lowood development

EXCLUSIVE by LESTER CROSS

The controversial proposals by Scottish Borders Council for hundreds of new houses in the countryside near Melrose have come a step closer after the authority's own planning officers granted permission to their colleagues in the Estates Department for earthworks and roadbuilding on the 110-acre site.

A decision on the planning application for works at Lowood/Tweedbank which has been under discussion for over a year has been made under delegated powers without the need for consideration by councillors. A total of 20 conditions are attached to the decision notice in a bid to protect the local ecology, bats, badgers and the nearby River Tweed.

Concerns had been expressed over the proposed width of the new road: it was thought at six metres the carriageways would be too narrow to accommodate two large vehicles travelling in opposite directions. But that issue has been resolved and is dealt with in the application handling report by Lead Planning Officer Julie Hayward.

The report states: " There was some concern raised that a 6m width would not be sufficient for two busses, or larger HGV's, to pass. However, 'Designing Streets' and the 'National Roads Development Guide' confirm a 6m carriageway width as acceptable where the anticipated number of larger vehicles is relatively low. 

"Keeping the carriageway width to a workable minimum will help reduce traffic speeds overall. Marginal widening will be required at the bends in the road to allow extra width for vehicles to pass. This will have a minimal visual impact on the development and will ensure that the road infrastructure will be in keeping with the semi-rural nature of the development and with minimal impact, if any, on trees."

The only objection to the application was lodged by planning consultant David Bell, acting for Gowanloch Investments Limited, the owner of salmon fishing rights on the Tweed adjoining the Lowood Estate.

Mr Bell warned that the planning application was not competent as to apply for part of the road infrastructure by way of a planning application without undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening would be in breach of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) EIA Regulations, and would be unlawful.

He claimed that by 'salami slicing' the overall Lowood scheme into small sections the council could avoid detailed scrutiny of its proposals and their potential impact on the environment. He said: "The proposed development should not be considered in isolation; it should properly be regarded as an integral part of a more substantial development."

And according to Mr Bell: "The potential effects of the road and drainage infrastructure needed to support the Lowood project on the River Tweed's conservation objectives may not be properly considered by the Council ahead of its determination of the application.

"Insufficient detail concerning the scale and type of the mixed use development that is expected to come forward on the Estate in terms of the SPG [Supplementary Planning Guidance] is available at this stage in the overall development cycle; the Council should have regarded the road and drainage infrastructure element as constituting an EIA development."

In her report, Ms Hayward explains: ": It is expected that the development of the Lowood Estate will happen over time in a number of phases and applications. Therefore, it is vital that the guidance set out in the SPG and Design Guide is followed, to ensure the vision for the site as a whole is achieved. 

"The Design Statement submitted with this application advises that earthwork slopes will be minimised where possible to ease the road construction into the topography. The road alignment has been specifically designed to fit into the landscape, reflect the parkland nature of the site and minimise disruption to trees. Due to the level differences between the Innovation Park road (at Tweedbank) and the Estate the proposed road would be on an embankment for 130m then lowered."

Ms Hayward says the design of the development includes mitigation to reduce its visual impact; the sweeping nature of road in the views through the parkland reflecting the organic nature of the parkland character, avoiding the mature parkland trees wherever possible, positioning the proposed road against the wooded backdrop away from the River Tweed and Borders Abbey Way to limit dominance of the road from sensitive viewpoints and new planting. 

"The road has been designed to integrate as much as possible with the topography and parkland landscape to reflect the existing estate road character, by avoiding a heavily engineered approach, using a narrow road width, soft verges (no kerbs) and the gradient of banking to either side of the road would be kept as shallow as possible."

The Design Statement advises that a 6m wide road is proposed, designed to fit into the parkland nature of the site. A 2.5m wide shared footway/cycleway will be constructed next to the road from its junction with the Borders Innovation Park road. 

It is claimed the main impact on residential amenities would be during the construction phase of the new road. Such impacts, it is said, would be short term. 

"A Construction Environmental Management Plan [CEMP] will be secured by condition, which would include assessment, monitoring and mitigation in relation to construction traffic, noise, vibration, dust and air pollutants."

The proposed works include a replacement overflow pipe to take excess water from Lowood pond to the river Tweed. 

Environmental watchdog NatureScot have no objections to the proposal but advise that there is potential for the construction of the road network to impact indirectly on the river through diffuse pollution. Due to the high water quality standards of the River Tweed Special Area of Conservation they would expect construction and other work to be carried out in accordance with strict environmental safeguards to prevent contamination of the watercourse with silt, construction material or debris of any description.