Wednesday April 29th 2026
Mavisbank House, Loanhead, Midlothian (credit: Rob McDougall)
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
An 850-metre long road through a woodland has been given the go ahead despite concerns it will ‘devastate’ the countryside.
The Landmark Trust is ready to start work on Mavisbank House, Loanhead, after receiving permission to begin repairs, however plans to create an access route to allow work to start had been delayed amid concerns over the impact on the surrounding valley.
This week Midlothian councillors approved the plans by 12 votes to six after the majority agreed saving the historic mansion was more important than the impact on the surrounding land.
Concerns had been raised about the loss of more than 80 trees to make way for the road, however councillors heard many of them were in a poor state and they would be replaced by more than 90 ‘robust’ trees, hedgerow and wild flower areas.
Midlothian councillors delayed a decision on granting approval for the access route at a meeting earlier this year amid concern about its impact on the surrounding countryside.
Category A listed Mavisbank House was built in the early 18th century by celebrated Scottish architect William Adam as a summer residence for John Clerk of Penicuik, a leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, and signatory of the Act of Union (1707).
It is described as the first Palladian house in Scotland and pioneered a design which would be used by others to develop Edinburgh’s New Town a generation later.
In the 19th century Mavisbank became a ground-breaking mental hospital where reforming Doctor John Batty Tuke developed compassionate approaches to mental illness, including through exercise and gardening.
After the closure of the asylum, Mavisbank was sold and, following a major fire, demolition on safety grounds was ordered by the local authority in the mid-1980s. An emergency round-the-clock vigil was maintained by local volunteers until the decision could be halted.
At a meeting of the council’s planning committee this week Councillor Russell Imrie, committee convenor, said that while he had always supported the restoration of Mavisbank he believed an alternative access route should be found.
The committee had earlier been told that the original driveway was now in private ownership and the Landmark Trust had been unable to reach an agreement with owners to use it.
Councillor Derek Milligan moved a motion the reject the plans for the new route saying a Compulsory Purchase Order could be used to find another way in.
He told the meeting: ” Visiting the site brought home just how detrimental to the valley this route would be. The devastation to the valley is just so much that I cannot see how I can support the restoration work over the
damage.”
He was supported by Councillor Kelly Drummond who said: “This is going to be so detrimental to the land, it is a beautiful area and it will be devastating to put a road through it.”
However fellow committee member Dianne Alexander moved the approval of the application saying it was a “great opportunity” to restore the house.
Councillor Alexander said: ““We are going to lose the building if we do not do anything. I fully understand what is being said about the environment but I look at it from a total different point of view.
“If we don’t put this back to the way it was when it was built we are actually going to lose what is so amazing about the valley itself.”
She was backed by council leader Kelly Parry who said: “I was concerned about loss of trees, it is something I talk about in planning committee but I am going to second Councillor Alexander.
“No ancient or veteran trees will be lost, many of those lost are of poor quality or small scale specimens and the scheme delivers a net gain through the planting of 90 heavy standard trees including Scots pine and oak along with hedgerows and wild flower areas. It will restore historic views and vistas. I think it is worth noting.”
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