Failed bid to 'de-list' historic Hawick gates

EXCLUSIVE by DOUG COLLIE

A dispute which followed Historic Environment Scotland's recent decision to grant listed status to Victorian gates at the entrance to a Borders country estate has provoked "acrimonious exchanges" between supporters and opponents of the listing.

But a planning appeal to have 'C' listed status removed from the gates and gate piers at Linden Park, near Hawick, with a view to having the architectural feature moved on road safety grounds has been thrown out by a Scottish Government planning reporter.

The application to add the gates to Scotland's catalogue of listed structures was made during 2020 by the highly respected Hawick Archaeological Society [HAS]. But even the society came under fire from objectors for allegedly making 'basic errors' in its submission during the appeal process.

In its listing entry in January of this year Historic Environment Scotland [HES] stated: "The Linden Park gates and gate piers are a rare example of a high-quality bespoke design for gates in the later 19^th century that remain largely in their current form. Although the organic design may have involved the adaption of typical estate railings the result is an early example of gates which show the emergence of handcrafted bespoke design and foretelling the Arts and Crafts movement which in the 1880s was still in its early development. 

"Built in 1885, a pair of stone gate piers with two decorative iron gate piers, and pairs of wide gates and pedestrian gates between them. The structures were built as the main entrance gateway to the former Linden Park Estate and are set back from the A698 road northeast of Hawick. It is likely they were designed by the architect of the house and estate ancillaries, John Guthrie."

The site of the former Linden House and its surroundings is now occupied by ten private houses served by a narrow road leading from the gates. Some of the residents praised HES for protecting the structures while others condemned the move.

Soon after the listing a formal appeal was lodged with the Scottish Planning & Environmental Appeals Division by Linden Park's newest resident John Moran.

His written contribution to the appeal said: "The gates at the entrance to Linden Park were built at the end of the 19th century before the present modern A698 existed. This road has substantially changed since then and is now a 60mph main trunk road. This entrance is also on a sharp curve in the road which doesn't give the modern required visual splays necessary according to Road Safety & Traffic Management Roads at Scottish Borders Council.

"In other words the entrance would fail planning in the modern age. On a site visit the Council Road Safety Officer stated: 'In terms of the gates themselves, while aesthetically pleasing, these do narrow the available carriageway width and removing these would be considered an improvement to the access. Without the gates, there would be suitable width for two vehicles to negotiate the junction safely, side by side preventing any potential for backing up on to the public road and larger articulated vehicles or those used by the emergency services would find it easier to negotiate.'

"So at present two vehicles can not negotiate the junction safely. By listing the gates HES has made it virtually impossible to remove the gates to improve public safety and have in their own words not taken public safety into account as they state in a reply to an objection that it is not a factor in their decision. I refute that position and contend that they should take public safety into account before making a listing. I strongly object to this listing and lodge this appeal against it."

HAS president Brian Tait's submission against the de-listing application described the reasons for the appeal as "rather bizarre".

According to Mr Tait the gates by local architect John Guthrie, a founder member of HAS "are well worth the C Listing applied to them. Scottish Border Council thought they should have had an even higher listing and the Society would have been delighted if it had been B listed. The gates are about 136 years old and the Stone Gate Posts featured, hydro- electric lighting from the dammed Trow Burn, possibly the first of its kind in Scotland."

Local backing for the listing also came from Linden Park householder Jean Muir. She told the appeals division: "In view of the rigorous investigation undertaken by HES resulting in their welcome conclusion to award ‘C’ grade listing to the historic Linden Park Gates, I find it disingenuous of the relative incomer, John Moran, to attempt to overturn this.

"However, it has come to light that there is a hidden agenda. Getting the gates delisted paves the way to achieving his initial intention of removing them, something that he can already do under their now ‘C’ listing, but only IF they are deemed a safety hazard. This he is attempting to prove, using criteria with which most residents and many outsiders disagree."

There were similar sentiments from fellow Fenwick Park resident Hamish Brandon who wrote: "I have resided at Linden Park for over 40 years and these beautiful gates are an extremely important part of Linden Parks history. More importantly, I note Mr Moran's appeal is centred around road safety… In my opinion, removing the gates will actually result in a much more dangerous exit onto the A698. It is my belief that the true reason Mr Moran does not want these gates to be listed is he wishes to have them removed/moved, which would be a travesty to the history of Linden Park."

A view not shared by Tom West, whose home occupies the site of the former Linden Park House.

Mr West's submission claimed: "I wish to say here that this whole process has severely disturbed what was previously a community living together well with what I believe people would describe as good neighbourly relationships. 

"I personally find it extremely sad that the failure by Hawick Archaeological Society (HAS) to consult with residents before submitting the listing application has caused this current situation. If opinions had been aired and discussed prior to the application I believe there would have, with the additional time and before the formal process began, been a great deal more understanding and tolerance and this would have prevented some of the acrimonious exchanges contained in your case correspondence. Everybody should be entitled to their viewpoint without this stirring up of enmity between neighbours."

And Mr West continued: "If the President (of HAS) had done some basic research or consultation, he  would not have made such a basic error in his representation which is adding to the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust. The basic errors the HAS president has made combined with the lack of initial consultation and now the use of emotive language in his representation i.e. ‘Pathetic” to a Residents genuine concern for safety cause me personally to wonder about HAS’s standards and what reliance can be placed on the information they supply and what ends they will go to, to achieve their desired outcome of the listing."

In his decision notice issued on Friday planning reporter Stuart West said: "I am satisfied that a full and thorough assessment of the subjects’ architectural and historic interest has been undertaken as part of the designation process and I agree with Historic Environment Scotland’s conclusions. I do not find that historic interactions between third parties that are not responsible for the designation of the subjects are a material consideration in the assessment of this appeal. Drawing together all of the above I find that the architectural and historic interest of the subjects has been demonstrated and I consider that the listing should be maintained.