Monday November 11th 2024
Irvine Plant Ltd White Bridge Park in Kingsmeadow Road.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A Peebles-based company that supports Scottish Borders Council with its winter gritting and snow clearance programme was saved from closure today.
A retrospective application was submitted to SBC from Irvine Plant Ltd for the change of use from business to a plant hire site on land at White Bridge Park in Kingsmeadow Road.
In his report council planner Ranald Dods refused the application over concerns it was “fundamentally altering” the character of a rural area.
The site lies to the east of Cavalry Park and is within the Tweed Valley special landscape area and not allocated in the Local Development Plan for industrial use.
When members of Scottish Borders Council’s Local Review Body met today they overturned the refusal decision.
The move means the company, which employs 16 people, has clearance to remain on the site.
Members were told the business supports other local companies where possible, such as Bordermix, Breedon and Jewsons.
It also carries out contracts for several local companies including SBC, helping out heavily throughout the winter with gritting and snow clearance work.
Members expressed disappointment that the application was retrospective but found that the economic benefits outweighed that factor.
Conditions were attached regarding environmental work to screen the site from the adjoining Cavalry Park and over operating hours.
Councillor Marshall Douglas said: “They have exhibited that they are a very strong business, very well thought of locally, providing employment and I think there is a very strong economic case as it does support 16 jobs, particularly in the Tweeddale area and that is extremely important.”
Councillor Eric Small added: “It’s shame this is retrospective but this is a well-established business within the Peebles area which we have to support. I think it has an economic justification for where it is.”
“I actually did a wee bit of maths on the number of jobs” said Councillor Donald Moffat, adding: “Any business that’s putting four and a half to five thousand pounds-plus per week into the local economy is a welcome thing in the Borders because, as we all know, the Borders is the second worst paid area in Scotland for jobs.
“This business has proved it can work and generate jobs and I think that is important.”
An appeal statement stated that the applicant was unaware of the restrictive use of the land when acquiring it a decade ago.
It added: “It is unfortunate that neither the appellant nor his legal advisers were aware of the class designation issue at the time of purchase 10 years ago.
“The principle here is really whether or not the benefits of this successful local business outweigh any possible negative impacts. It is not a sensitive site in most respects.
“Yes it is near to the river Tweed SAC, and yes, it is not currently well screened from the B7062. All these issues can be resolved.
“This is an established, successful and important local business providing services to SBC, other businesses, the public and it provides significant charitable support. There are no other suitable sites available locally.
“The impacts identified can all be mitigated, and can be done so subject to a conditional approval. This is not the case for the company itself if forced to vacate this site, there will be a significant detriment to all the identified beneficiaries.
“The appellant submits that this was an unfortunate error, that there have been no complaints made to either SBC or the company directly over a considerable period of time and that mitigation of impacts is simple and can be conditioned. It is hoped that the panel will agree with this and grant planning permission upon review.”
In his report, SBC planning officer Ranald Dods stated: “Despite the condition attached to the planning permission for the building, the applicant states they were unaware that permission was required for the development.
“The site is within the Tweed Valley special landscape area and the majority of it was, before the unauthorised works were undertaken, greenfield land.
“As evinced from the planning history, the development of this site has been acknowledged as having the potential to have a negative impact on the visual quality of the area.
“The nature and scale of activity associated with a builder’s yard and plant hire business is not one which is appropriate to the rural character of the area.
“Protected species, which could have been located within the woodland, were not accounted for by the applicant. The area of felled woodland is approximately 0.2ha and the trees which were felled were mostly broad leaves.
“The proposal has introduced a storage and distribution use into a rural setting and has altered fundamentally the character of the area and would be detrimental to the amenity of the surrounding area.”
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