Plans to demolish a former scout hut and replace it with two new three bedroom homes on the edge of a rural hamlet have been rejected by Midlothian planners.
Nearly 50 objections to the plans at Borthwick, near Gorebridge, were lodged with claims it would have a negative impact on the conservation area and A-listed Borthwick Castle, overlooking it.
And concerns were raised about its effect on the neighbouring field which is still used to host scout camps.
The applicants had argued that the presence of the disused scout hut on the land made it a ‘brownfield’ site which qualified it for housing, however planners dismissed the claim saying the land is “completely natural aside from a small building, which previously was used for a countryside activity”.
A previous application for houses on the site was withdrawn last year after receiving 65 objections.
Concerns were raised about the proximity of the new homes to the ‘long-established’ scout campsite – on neighbouring land.
The current application received 10 letters of support but planners said it was not in a ‘sustainable location’ and would be detrimental to the surrounding conservation area.
They said claims by the applicant that the site was not remote and near Gorebridge and would not be ‘car dependent’ were inaccurate saying the new houses would be around 4km from the nearest town centre and 2.5km from the nearest bust stop adding: “it should be noted that this bus stop requires pedestrians to cross the A7”.
The applicants described the revised application as offering an “acceptable replacement of a current vacant, redundant building on site with an appropriate low-density development of two modest family homes” which it says “makes good use of the land to provide two more affordable homes than one large home”.
In a report due to go before councillors later this month officers recommend the application for refusal saying there is no ‘justified need’ for the houses at the location and that they would have a “significant detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the rural hamlet of Borthwick and the character and appearance of the Borthwick and Crichton Conservation Area”.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
